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1 

Plantation diaky 



OF THE LATE 



MR. VALCOUR AIME, 



POKMRRLY PROPRIETOR OF THE PLANTATION KNOWN AS 



fii r 



Vi 



,1 



SITUATED IN THE PARISH OF ST. JAMES, 



AND NOW OWNED BY MK. JOHN BUKNSIDE. 



lS 



NEW ORLEANS: 

1e/^jj&' <£ Mos'jsijiiirjSf Pminteiis anb> ]?ubil]:^bierb^ 
1'- 1878. 



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^ 






^i. 



IISTTRODUCTIOIVT. ^ ^ 



fHE iiudersigned, Mk. Yalcoue Aime's graiKlsoii, in 
offering- tlie Plantation Diary of the late Mr. Ainie, 
begs leave to state, that this reliable record, kept day by 
daj', during a series of years, by an experienced planter 
and refiner, cannot but prove of interest and value to 
planters in general, and deserves their confidence and 
patronage. The results he obtained in planting, by limit- 
• V his culture of cane to six hundred arpents, on tin 
^rage, though working a large force, may be suggestive 
lugar planters. Mr. Aime, in 1853, made a crop of one 
million eight hundred and sixty-seven thousand pounds of 
sugar, and nine hundred barrels of molasses. His obser- 
vations during the four or five first years, are not, by far, 
as numerous as they are during the succeeding years. 
Lately, in revising the papers, the undersigned has jjlaced 
in the Diary a few valuable notes of Mr. Aime, concern- 
ing frozen canes, which are in margin of the original 
nianuscrii)t, but which could not be deciphered without 
tiie assistance of Mr. F. Fortier, the former manager of 
the plantation. Many valuable remarks of Mr. Aime, are 
laced so profusely in margin of the original manuscript, 
^'iat it has been impossible to intercalate thei-n inore appro- 



[ 4 1 

priately. The undersigned trusts, that success will attend 
this publication, and will correspond to the labor and 
patience bestowed upon the Journal, so complete and 
accurate, as to be unique. 

Eespectfully, 

ALB. FEEEY. 




MEMORANDA. 



NoTA Bene.— The thermometer remains exposed to the north under gallery, 
except when the contrary is stated. The thermometer may vary from 2° to 3° 
by exposure, from gallery to outside. 



The following memorandum is furnished to Mr. Aime 
by Mr. Lapice : The sugar mill making four revolutions 
per minute, being neither more braced nor more heavily 
fed than usual, seven thousand pounds of good plant 
canes were ground in twenty-six minutes, which gave four 
cart loads of bagasse, weighing two thousand one hundred 
and thirteen pounds, and four thousand eight hundred 
and eighty-seven pounds of juice. This juice, weighing 
9° Baume, filled two clarifiers containing five hundred and 
sixty-five gallons, which, at eight and three-quarter pounds 
per gallon equals four thousand nine hundred and forty- 
three pounds of juice. At the rate of seventy per cent, of 
juice, seven thousand pounds of cane would give four thous- 
and nine hundred pounds of juice. This result compared to 
the result obtained, shows a difference of thirteen pounds; 
but as two gallons of juice remained in the body of the 
pump, the percentage obtained is fully seventy per cent. 

The bagasse of six hundred and eighty arpents of canes 
only covered eighty arpents of old ground, and was 
hauled by two carts, day and night, at a distance of ten 
to fifteen arpents ; each cart load estimated at five hun- 
dred pounds. 

One gallon of syrup, 32° warm, or 37° Baum6, cold, 
weighs eleven pounds and two and a half ounces, and 
contains seven pounds and seven ounces sugar and molas- 
ses, and three pounds and eleven ounces of water. The 
percentage of water is therefore thirty-four per cent. 
Twelve thousand pounds of matter are equal to seven 
thousand pounds of sugar and five thousand pounds of 
molasses. The percentage of sugar is therefore fifty-eight 



[ 6 ] 

and one-third per cent., and of molasses forty-one and two- 
thirds per cent. By the old process of making sugar the 
percentage of molasses is larger, and that of sugar neces- 
sarily smaller. 

One gallon of syrup 22° warm, or 26° Baume, cold, 
weighs ten pounds and two ounces, and contains four 
pounds and twelve ounces of sugar and molasses, and 
five pounds and six ounces of water. 



Seven pounds of sugar and three pounds and twelve 
ounces of water, heated to boiling point, in order to melt 
thoroughly the sugar, weigh 30° B. warm, and 34° B. 
cold. 



Six pounds and ten ounces of sugar, and three pounds 
and twelve and a half ounces of water, brought to boil- 
ing point, weigh 29° B. warm, and 33° B. cold. 



Seven pounds and two gross of molasses and three 
pounds ten ounces and two gross of water, heated to boil- 
ing point, weigh 25° B. warm. 



In Louisiana, twelve hundred gallons of cane juice will 
give ninety gallons of molasses, and in Jamaica, eight 
hundred and twenty gallons cane juice will give the 
ninety gallons molasses. 

Refinery molasses weigh (May 24th), twelve pounds 
and four gross. 

Forty pounds of molasses contain eight pounds of water; 
the percentage of water in molasses is therefore twenty 
per cent. 



One gallon of water weighs eight pounds. 



[ ' ] 

Rule to convert Reaumur into the degrees of Faren- 
lieit : multiply the indication of Reaumur by nine, and 
divide the product by four, and to this last result add 
thirty-two, to obtain the corresponding temperature on 
Farenheit. 



Valuable observations of Mr. Aime are placed so pro- 
fusely in margin of the original manuscript, that it has 
been impossible to intercalate them more judiciously. 




PLANTATION DIARY. 



1828. 

The month of January was altogether mild, and the 
weather being dry and rainy at suitable intervals, was 
therefore very favorable to planters. Weather pretty 
fair in February, until the 15th ; thermometer on the 
15th, 10° Reaumur, below zero. Ice was thick enough 
on the " batture," to bear the weight of a person, and the 
cold so intense, that cane planted, which had not pre- 
viously received rain, froze in the ground ; the conse- 
quence was, a thin stand of cane. Begun hoeing cane 
on the 26th of March; even in April, canes were still 
scarce on the rows. The heaviest rain, then known, fell 
on the 16th May. V. Aime's sugar crop in 1823, one hun- 
dred and twelve hogsheads sold at five and a half cents. 

Memorandum : Mr. Edraond Fortier, of the parish of St. 
Charles, ground in 1819, ninety-seven arpents of plant 
cane (seventy-two rows of cane to the arpent), which 
yielded three hundred and twenty hogsheads of sugar. 

1824. 

Both January and February were very fair months, 
there having been but little cold, and but little rain. 
Through planting cane on the 15th of February; on the 
24th of March, some plant cane marked the row. The 
month of April was very rainy, but on the 15th April, 
there was already a stand of both plant and stubble 'cane. 
The early part of May was very rainy, but drought pre- 
vailed from the 10th. V. Aime's sugar crop in 1824, 
two hundred and twelve hogsheads, sold at six cents. 

1825. 

The month of January was very rainy ; the roads were 



[ 9 I 

very bad, and planting backward ; weather favorable in 
February until the 15th, and too much rain afterwards. 
Through planting cane on the 2d of March ; begun plow- 
ing in stubbles on the 5th ; rain fell during the whole 
month of April ; the stand of Otahity cane is thin, owing 
to excessive rains ; too much dampness, causing the 
decomposition of the eyes of all cane planted deep. Rain 
on the 8th of May followed by drought, which lasted 
until the 25th of June ; compelled to hoe cane until the 
end of July ; begun hauling wood to the sugar house 
after a dry spell of forty-eight days. The latter part of 
August was so rainy, that hay making had to be post- 
poned. From the 8th to the loth of September, weather 
cold enough for the use of covering ; still making hay on 
the 20th, and through saving the hay crop on the 23d. 
Begun to matlay cane on the 5th of October, and through 
matlaying on the 20th ; on the 22d. begun cutting cane 
for the mill, and begun grinding on the 25th. Weather 
favorable in November, with one light frost, which 
slightly affected the leaves of cane furthest in the rear; 
sleet on December the first, during half of the day, and 
thick ice in the evening ; weather very cold until the 8th; 
through grinding on the 5th of December. V. Aime's 
sugar crop, in 1825. one hundred and eighty hogs- 
heads, sold at six and a half cents. 

1826. 

On January 2d, through opening furrows for cane plant- 
ing ; through planting cane on the 4th of February, (103 
arpents); burnt cane trash on the 20th; on March 1st, 
began plowing in stubbles ; planting corn on the 4th ; 
nearly all the Creole canes marking the row on the 15th; 
a dry spell of fifteen days during the latter part of March. 
On the 1st of April otahity canes mark the row ; cane 
did not improve much, though the weather was favorable 
lur ng the month. On the 1st of May the drought begun ; 
trifling rain on the 13th ; a crevasse on the 26th between 
the Delogny and Choppin's plantations; the crevasse 
closed in four days ; rain on the 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th and 



[ 10] 

31st, June 1st ; canes grew well since the rain ; a cane 
jointed eight inches lonp: ; river has fallen four inches on 
the 7th; rain from the 18th to the 27th ; through plowing 
cane on the 20th, they are almost large enough to screen 
the ploughmen. From the 27th of June to the 27th of 
July drought prevailed. Rain on the 27th, after a dry spell 
of thirty days. The month of August very rainy, on or 
about the 15th; heavy rain on the 27th; weather warm and 
cloudy on the 1st of September, and rain by intervals ; 
rain all day on the 8th and 9th ; begun making hay on 
the 15th ; first north wind on the 20th ; through storing 
hay on the 23d; north wind on the 28th; weather cold 
enough for winter clothing; begun to matlay cane on the 
16th of October, and through matlaying on the 24th ; cut- 
ting cane for the mill on the 30th ; begun grinding on the 
2d of November ; first ice of the season on the 16th , ice 
again on the 26th ; through grinding on the 30th Novem- 
ber; prepared ground and planted cane during December. 
V. Aime's sugar crop in 1826, one hundred and sixty 
hogsheads, sold from six to six and a half cents. 

1827. 

January. Weather rainy from the 1st to the 15th. 

February. Weather dry during the whole month ; 
through planting cane on the 12th. 

March. Rain on the 1st ; fair on the 2d ; most of the 
plant cane, and also stubbles of Creole cane in new land 
mark the row. White frost on the 19th, 28th, and 29th ; 
through hoeing plant and stubble cane for the first time 
on the 30th ; rain on the 30th. 

AiJriL On the 1st, otah'ity plant cane mark the row ; 
some ribbon plant cane have suckered on the 9th ; 
through hoeing stubbles on the 15th ; planted corn on 
the 17th ; light white frost on the 19tli ; weather favor- 
able ; rain on the 22d ; heavy white frost on the 28th 
and 29th ; rain on the 30th. 

May. White frost on the 2d ; cold enough for fire 
on the 7th; north wind on the 10th; weather quite 
warm on the loth and 14th ; a heavy rain on the latter 



1.11] 

day ; Otahity stubbles mark the row only on the 24th. 
All other oane have already suckered ; ridged up ribbon 
cane on the 25th. 

June. A beneficial rain on the 1st, being the first rain 
since May the 14th ; north wind from 22d to 23d ; 
weather cool enough to close doors at night. Five hun- 
dred and sixty-five cords of wood already made. 

Juh/. Weather dry; no rain since June 1st; rain on 
the 4th, after thirty-tour days drought; rain on the 15th. 
Through chopping wood on the 28th ; w^eather rainy. 

August. Begun hauling wood on the 3d; rain on the 
6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th. Begun ditch- 
ing on the 15th ; rain again on the 18th and 19th ; north 
wind on the 25th, and through hauling wood to sugar 
house. 

jSeptemher. Begun making hay on the 5th ; weather 
quite warm ; north wind on the 23d. 

October. Through storing hay on the 2d; repaired 
public road on the 8th and 9th ; north wind and white 
frost on the 10th ; begun matlaylng cane — weather too 
dry ; through matlaying on the 16th ; violent wind on 
the 21st, which blew down all large cane ; begun cutting 
cane for the mill ; white frost on the 22d ; begun grinding. 

November. During this month, weather mild and dry ; 
thin ice on the 30th. 

December. On the 1st, the weather again so mild, that 
some cane sprouts are six inches long. Through grinding 
on the 15th. On the 27th, cane standing are still good 
for seed. Ice on the 28th. V. Aime's sugar crop in 1826, 
two hundred and fifty-three hogsheads, sold from five 
and a half to six cents. 

1828. 

January. On the 7th, cane standing are yet good 
enough for seed, though ice has formed several times. No 
ice in January. 



[12] 

February. Through planting cane on the 8th. There 
having yet been no severe cold, the stubbles of ribbon cane 
are all up on the 15th; on the 25th, Otah'ity stubbles also 
mark the row. No ice in February. 

March. On the 1st, river evorflowing levees ; thin ice 
on the 2d ; through plowing in stubbles for the first time 
on the 8th ; very heavy rain on the 10th ; north wind on 
the 12th; planting corn on the 17th; through hoeing 
cane for the first time on the 26th ; on the 28th, crevasse, 
in this parish, at Gaignie and Z. Trudeau's. 

April. Ice of the thickness of a dollar on the 6th and 
7th. All stubbles worked since the last rain, are killed 
to the ground. North wind on the 20th. On account of 
drought, opened the levee to irrigate corn field, with river 
water. This is a bad operation, as the ground gets too 
much water soaked beneath. Trifling rain on the 25th. 
Otahity plant cane mark the row. 

May. On the 2d, the heaviest rain since 1823, fell 
after thirty-five days drought. Light rain on the 13th and 
18th. Size of cane, with leaves, on the 22d : ribbon plant 
cane measure from three feet seven inches to four feet 
seven inches ; stubbles of ribbon cane also from three feet 
seven inches to four feet seven inches ; Otah'ity plant cane 
three feet three inches ; Otah'ity stubble cane from four 
feet two inches to four feet seven inches. Cool north wind 
on the 23d. Very warm on the 28th. 

June. On the 1st, drought prevailing; no rain since the 
2d of May; rain on the 19th, after forty-seven days' 
drought. Ridgeing up ribbon cane on the 23d. Seven 
hundred and sixty cords of wood chopped. 

July. Ridgeing up Otah'ity stubbles on the 4th ; they 
screen the hands on the 6th. No rain since the 19th of 
June. Weather dry and cool, and uncomfortably cool in 
the evening. Through weeding cane on the 19th. Some 
Otah'ity stubbles in old ground, are now as small as they 
were in June, 1827, their mean height being five feet on 
the 20th ; but some other Otah'ity stubble cane have five 



L 13] 

yellow joints. A very light rain on the 24th. Through 
chopping wood on the 26th (one thousand and forty-nine 
cords). A soaking rain on the 28th, after thirty-nine 
days' drought, and being the third rain since the 27th of 
March. 

August Light rain on the 1st, but the ground still dry. 
Abundance of rain on the 3d, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 9th. 
Cutting weeds on the 8th and 9th. Two hundred and forty 
cords of wood hauled out on the 9th. Rain again on the 
10th, 11th, 12th and 13th. Pour hundred cords of wood 
hauled out on the 20th. Very warm on the 20th. Cut- 
ting; weeds on the 23d. 



'& 



September. On the 1st, some Otah'ity cane in old ground 
have only two to five joints. North wind on the 4th. 
Begun making hay on the 5th ; through K«toring hay on 
the 25th. Weather too dry ; rain on the 30th. 

October. Through matlaying cane on the 23d ; begun 
cutting cane for the mill on the 25th ; begun grinding on 
the 28th. Weather too dry. 

November: Very heavy rain on the 1st ; light white 
frost on the 13th and 16th ; strong north wind on the 
18th ; ice on the 22d and 23d. 

December. White frost on the 1st. Through grinding 
on the 18th, at midnight. Cane, which, on the 1st of 
September, had only trom two to five joints, yielded more 
than a hogshead to the arpent, though brought three feet 
to the mill. V. Aime's sugar crop, two hundred and 
eighty hogsheads, sold from six to six and a half cents. 

Memorandum. — Mr. Edmond Fortier, of the parish of 
St. Charles, ground this year one hundred and sixty-six 
arpents of plant cane, and one hundred arpents of stub- 
bles, and made seven hundred hogsheads of sugar. Some 
of his cane measured, at the mill, ten feet two inches, 
(French measure.) 

1829. 

January. Rain on the 6th and 7th ; through prepar 



[ 14 ] 

ing land for planting on the 8th ; thin ice from the 9th 
to the 1 0th; ice one quarter of an inch thick from the 
10th to the 11th ; begun planting cane on the 12th ; rain 
on the 12th and 13th ; heavy rain on the 14th ; ice of the 
thickness of a dollar on the 17th ; eighty arpeuts of cane 
already planted on the 28th. Rain on the 29th, 30th and 
31st. 

Fehruary. Very heavy rain on the 1st, and weather 
warm until the 10th ; thick ice and sleet on the 14th ; 
rain on the 19th; ice, and weather very cold on the 20th ; 
hail on the 21st ; through planting cane on the 22d ; rain 
on the 25th, and very heavy rain on the 2Gth. 

March. Weather still cold on the 1st ; ice on the 20th : 
rain on the 24th ; grubbing stubbles on the 25th ; through 
grubbing stubbles on the 29th. 

April. On the 1st, begun hoeing cane for the first 
time ; planted corn on the 3d ; white frost on the 6th ; 
through weeding cane for the first time on the 7th ; 
nearly all the ribbon plant cane mark the row ; rain on 
the 8th ; weather dry until the 20th ; light rain on the 
20th and 21st ; plowing and harrowing stubbles for 
second time ; through working stubbles for the second 
time on the 26th. 

May. On the 1st, through bedding up plant cane and 
stubbles in new land on the 26th. Three hundred and forty 
cords of wood made. Rain, with wind, on the 4th and 5th, 
Nearly all the Otah'ity plant cane mark the row. Rain on 
the 11th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 18th,19th, 20th, 21st and 22d 
Size of cane with leaves on the 22d : ribbon plant cane 
measures from three feet six inches, to four feet; stub- 
bles of ribbon cane from three to four feet ; Otah'ity plant 
cane eighteen inches. Otah'ity stubbles are not yet up. 
Plowing plant cane on the 26th. Rain on the 27th, 28th 
and 29th. 

Jane. On the 1st, five hundred and seven cords of 
w(jod altogether made ; rain on the 2d and 3d ; some 
Otahity stubbles marking the row ; cool northwest wind 



L 15] 

on the 8th ; river five feet below the high bank ; corn in 
blossom on the lOth. On the 12th some more Otahity 
stubbles have come up, but the stand is thin ; a light 
rain on the loth ; rain on the 19th, 20th and 21st ; begun 
to bed up ribbon plant cane in new land on the 23d. 
Rain on the 30th. 

July. On the 1st, six hundred and twenty cords of 
wood altogether made; cutting weeds on the 1st; north 
wind on the 2d ; weather cool enough to close doors at 
night; made anew all bridges on cross roads; rain on the 
3d, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th ; a very heavy shower on the 
10th. Rain on the 11th, 14th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th ; 
re-dug cross ditches on the 20th ; rain, with strong wind, 
on the 20th ; rain on the 22d, 23d and 24th ; through 
chopping wood on the 24th ; rain on the 27th, 29th and 
30th ; through weeding the small Otahity plant cane on 
the 30th. 

Augiist. Rain on the 1st, 2d and 3d; cleaning main 
canal on the 3d ; rain on the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th ; 
rain again on the 12th and 15th ; too much water to con- 
tinue re-digging canal ; all hands chopping wood for next 
year; rain on the 18th, l9th, 20th, 21st and 22d ; peas 
sowed on the 5th of May, cover the ground entirely ; an 
Otahity stubble cane in new land, measures four feet in 
joints on the 24th; rain on the 24th and 26th; some 
Otahity plant cane, in old ground, are jointed three and 
a half feet. Rain on the 27th. A stubble of ribbon cane 
measured six feet in joints on the 27th. Rain on the 
28th and 29th. 

September. Rain on the 2d and 3d. First north wind 
on the 7th, Begun hauling wood and making hay. On the 
8th the wind so cool that covering must be used even with 
doors closed. Rain on the 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22d, 
23d, 24th and 25th. Resumed hauling wood on the 27th, 
and hauled for cattle, twelve loads of hay, damaged by 
rain. Cutting hay on the 28th and 29th. Stored fifteen 
loads of hay on the 30th. Rain on the 30th and 31st. 
Altogether, one hundred and seven loads of hay made and 
stored. 



[ 16 ] 

October. On the 1st, gathered thirty-six cart loads of 
peas in pods. Rain on the 11th. North wind on the 
12th. Through hauling wood, and begun matlaying 
cane on the 14th. Gathered twelve cart loads of peas in 
pods on the 20th. North wind, and weather cool enough 
for winter clothing. Weather too dry for niatlayed cane. 
Through matlaying on the 22d. Begun cutting cane for 
the mill on 25th. Rain on the 25th and 26th. Begun 
grinding on the 28th. Very heavy rain on the 28th, 
White frost on the 31st. 

Novemher. Twenty-seven arpents of stubbles of ribbon 
cane gave twenty-three hogsheads of sugar. Rain on the 
5th. From the lOtli to the 11th, white frost and ice. 
White frost from the 11th to the 12th On the loth, niat- 
layed the tops of ribbon cane; they did not keep wherever 
matla37ed, after the carts had been run over them to ha^ul 
away cane. Rain on the 16th The main plantation 
road badly cut up. On the 18th, one hundred hogsheads 
of sugar have been made. White frost on the 18th. A 
light rain on the 22d. Fair on the 23d ; and ice of the 
thickness of a dollar from the 23d to the 24th. Ice of the 
thickness of one-quarter of a dollar from the 24th to the 
25th. Rain on the 27th. 

Decemher. Through cutting cane on the 2d, and through 
grinding on the 3d, Weather warm. Begun plowing on 
the 5th. Begun planting cane on the 7th. Rain on the 8th. 
Cane standing yet good for seed on the 12th. Ice on the 
13th. Rain on the 15th, 23d, 24th, 25th and 29th. Sold 
and shipped all the sugar made on the 29th. V, Aime's 
sugar crop in 1829, one hundred and eighty-three hogs- 
heads, sold at six cents. 

1830. 

Jaitaarij. Eighty-eight arpents of cane already planted 
on the 1st. Sold and delivered fifty casks of molasses, of 
one hundred and five gallons each. Rain on the 9th, 
White frost on the 12th. Alight rain on the 13th, Rain, 
in the morning, on the 15th. Through planting cane on the 
20th (two hundred arpents). Rain on the 22d. Through 
cleaning ditches on the 3l8t, 



L 17 ] 

February. On the 4th, 5th and 6th, plowing and scrap- 
ing plant cane. Ice on the 8th. Sowed oats on the 10th. 
beneficial rain on the 24th and 25th, after a drought of 
twenty-five days. Planted corn on the 23d. Begun plow- 
ing in stubbles on the 27th, and again hoeing plant cane. 
Stubbles of ribbon cane in new land mark the row on the 
28th. 

March. Four hundred cords of wood made already on 
the 1st. Rain on the 2d and 4th. North wind on the 
7th. Through plowing in stubbles on the 10th. Through 
weeding plant cane for the first time on the IBth. Heavy 
rain on the 18th, and planted corn. Ribbon plant cane 
mark the row. 

April. White frost on the 1st, Six hundred cords of 
wood made. White frost and thin ice on the 2d, which 
affect the cane leaves. Nearly all the Otahity plant cane 
mark the row on the 8th. Rain on the 9th, but is insuffi- 
cient. Through plowing plant cane for the second time, 
and harrowing in stubbles on the 15th. Weather too dry. 
Weather cloudy on the 19th, 20th, 21st and 22d. A light 
misty rain on the 23d. A good rain on the 24th. Through 
redigging main canal after fourteen days' work. 

May. Seven hundred cords of wood made. A good rain 
on the 2d. Some ribbon plant cane have suckered, others 
are suckering. Rain on the 3d. Heavy rain on the 9th. 
The whole cane field has been worked five times on the 
15th. Rain again wanted. Rain on the 17th. Heavy rain 
on the 18th. Fine northwest wind on the 19th. Very 
strong wind on the 22d, and some rain in the evening. 
Size of ribbon plant cane, with leaves, four feet six inches. 
Otahity plant cane measures about four feet. The stand 
of Otahity stubbles, not lined, is rather thin. Through 
plowing, harrowing and hoeing the cane crop for the sixth 
time on the 30th. Excessive heat on the 30th ; rain 
wanted. 

June. Rain on the 1st and 2d. Eight hundred cords of 
wood made. Extreme heat on the 3d. the ground too wet 
to be worked. North wind on the 4th ; weather so cool 
3 



[ 18 ] 

that doors must be closed at night. Weather again too 
dry on the 12th. A good but insufficient rain on the 14th. 
All the cane crop plowed and harrowed anew on the 15th. 
Laid by some cane on the 16th. Rain wanted. From the 
21st north wind prevails, and nights are cool. Weather 
still too dry on the 27th. Begun cleaning sugar house 
pond on the 28th. (Two pounds and eight gross of damp 
sugar, exposed to the sun for one hour, loses eight gross 
in weight. One hundred pounds of damp sugar, thus 
exposed, would be reduced to ninety-seven pounds and a 
fraction). Weather still too dry. 

Jid/j. One thousand and fifty cords of wood made. 
Through cleaning sugar house pond on the 3d, after one 
week's work. A stubble of ribbon cane measures three 
feet two inches, in joints. Begun hauling wood on the 
6th. Filled up sugar house pond with river water. River 
falling. A good shower on the 10th. Working some small 
ribbon and Otah'ity plant cane on the 11th. Ground not 
wet enough. Small Otahity plant cane hardly screen the 
laborers. Eleven hundred cords of wood made. Five 
hundred cords hauled out on the 19th. Weather still dry. 
A good rain on the 21st. Six hundred and fifty cords of 
wood hauled out on the 23d. Through hauling wood on 
the 30th, at noon. Through cleaning cross ditches, and 
hauled out six thousand shingles on the 30th. Some 
stubbles of ribbon cane measure six feet in joints. 

August. Rain on the 1st and 2d. Ground not yet wet 
enough. Rain on the 3d. Rain on the 4th, by intervals, 
but ground not sufficiently wet. A shower of one hour 
on the 5th. Rain on the 12th, but not enough. On 
the 14th, 15th and 16th, weather very warm, particularly 
in the afternoon and at night. Rain on the 17th, but not 
sufficiently. Some Otah'ity plant cane measure five feet 
in joints on the 17th. Heavy rain the 21st. Light rain 
on the 22d. On the 24th and 25th, weeded pastures. 
Sun extremely hot on the 27th. Weather too dry. 

Septemher. On the 2d. some Otah'ity plant cane, in old 
ground, are small, with only two to five joints visible. 



[ 19 ] 

Hauled out from swamp forty logs of timber on the .3d. 
Light rain on the 4th and 7th. Dug up coco grass around 
sugar house. Begun making hay on the 11th. Drought 
still prevailing. Weather cloudy on the 17th. North 
wind on the 18th ; weather cool, particularly in the 
morning. The drought is excessive. On the 22d, through 
making hay, and making fence posts. All the hay stored 
on the 24th ; five additional cart loads were made for the 
sheep and calves. On the 29th, weather cold enough for 
warm clothing. 

October. Through opening ditches in corn land on the 
7th. Drought still prevailing. A thick fog on the 8th. 
Begun matlaying cane on the 9th, in the morning, but 
stopped at 11 o'clock A. M.; weather too dry. Plowed 
location of mats, so as to lay the cane on fresh ground. 
Light rain, by intervals, on the 13th. Rain all day on the 
15th. but not enough for matlaying cane. Through mat- 
laying on the 21st. Steam engine, mill, etc., under trial 
on the 23d and 24th, but machinery not working well; 
grinding was delayed until the 27th, at which time the 
Archibald's process was tried, with no success. Grinding 
bfigun fairly on the 30th, the set of kettles being used. 

November. On the 2d, weather cloudy; some rain, with 
thunder. Cool on the 3d. Very warm on the 6th. Cold 
north wind on the 7th. White frost and ice from the 7th 
to the 8th. Stopped grinding, with fifty hogsheads of 
sugar made. Resumed grinding on the 11th ; stopped 
on the 17th, with one hundred and ten hogsheads of sugar 
made. Resumed grinding on the 20th ; stopped grinding 
on the 25th, with one hundred and sixty-one hogsheads 
of sugar made. Resumed grinding on the 27th; stopped 
grinding on the 29th, in the night, with one hundred and 
eighty-one hogsheads of sugar made. Worked with the 
whole gang of laborers on the 27th and 30th, to furnish 
water to pond. 

December. On the 1st, begun hauling water to sugar 
pond, in barrels. Resumed grinding on the 2d. Two hun- 
dred hogsheads of sugar already made on the 4th. Heavy 



L 20] 

rain on the 4th ; sugar house pond overflowing. Stopped 
grinding on the 5th. Resumed grinding on the 5th. A hea- 
vy rain on the 12th. Rain all day on the loth. Light rain 
on the l-4th. White frost, with ice of the thickness ot half 
a dollar on the 15th. Three hundred hogsheads of sugar 
already made. Stopped grinding on the 16th, to clean 
boilers and to haul extra wood. White frost on the 16th. 
Resumed grinding on the 17th, in the evening; stopped 
grinding on the 22d ; thermometer being 5° Reaumur, 
below zero. Ice on batture is five-eights of an inch thick ; 
the turn-plate of mill broken by attempting to grind frozen 
cane. Resumed grinding on the 2od. Rain, with strong 
wind, on the 2od, during the night. Cane standing gave 
good sugar, whilst the cane windrowed after the ice, made 
bad sugar, in small quantity. Stopped grinding on the 
25th, on account of accident to machinery ; three hun- 
dred and seventy-three hogsheads of sugar made. Re- 
sumed grinding on the 27th, at 6 o'clock P. M.; stopped 
grinding on the 30th, at midnight, because cane are no 
more yielding sugar. Cane spoiled fast, as they were yet 
so green when frozen, V. Aime's sugar crop, three'hun- 
dred and ninety-five hogsheads and seventy-two moulds, 
sold from four to five and a half cents, 

1831. 

January. Begun plowing on the 2d ; a heavy rain in 
the afternoon. Begun planting cane on the 11th, Thick 
ice on the 11th. Ice again on the 12th. A light rain on 
the loth. Ice on the 14th. Ice half an inch thick on the 
whole batture on the 17th. Through opening furrows for 
planting cane on the 18th; ice in the morning. Ice again on 
the 19th and 20th. Seventy-five arpents of cane planted. 
Rain on the 21st and 28th. Ice and strong wind on the 
30th. Plowing in plant cane on the olst. 

Fehruarij. Thick ice on the 3d ; through planting 
cane. Ice on the 4th. Sleet on the 5th. Very cold rain 
on the 6th. Ice on the 7th and 8th, which did not melt 
in the shade during the day. Thick ice on the 9th, 10th, 



[21.] 

11th, 12th and 13th. Bepjun chopping wood on the 11th. 
Rain on the 14th. Burnt a portion of cane trash on the 
24th. Rain on the 25th. Heavy rain, with thunder, on 
the 27th, in the mornina:. Through scraping plant cane 
in new ground. 

March. Two hundred cords of wood cut. Burnt bal- 
ance of cane trash on the 2d. Begun plowing in stubbles 
on the 3d. Rain on the 5th. Light rain on the 6th. North 
wind on the 7th. Light white frost on the 8th and 9th. 
Rain on the 12th, Much rain on the 15th and 16th. 
Thin ice on the 17th. Through cleaning ground on the 
18th. Begun grubbing stubbles on the 21st. Through 
plowing in stubbles on the 22d. Plowing for corn on the 
26th, 27th and 28th. Some rain on the 28th. Fair on 
the 29th ; through grubbing stubbles, and planted corn. 
Harrowing and hoeing plant cane on the 30th. 

April. Three hundred cords of wood cut.* Light rain 
on the 3d. Through harrowing and hoeing plant cane for 
the first time on the 5th. A good rain on the 6th. Rib- 
bon plant cane mark the row. Otahity plant cane are not 
sufficiently up to mark the row. Heavy rain, with wind, 
on the 13th, during night. A deluge on the 14th, such as 
the rain of the 16th of May, 1823. In the evening, how- 
ever, all the water had run off, except on upper line. All 
the Otahity plant cane mark the row on the 20th. Plow- 
ing and hoeing corn on the 24th and 25th. Through 
working the entire cane field for the second time on the 
29th. No rain since the 14th. Weather too dry. 

May. Pour hundred cords of wood made. Stubbles of 
ribbon cane mark the row. All hands chopping wood on 
the 2d. Weather still too dry on the 5th. An insufficient 
rain on the 7th. Heavy rain on the 13th. Some suckers, 
in plant cane, are out; others yet beneath the ground on 
the 14th. Otahity stubbles, in new ground, mark the row 
on the 16th ; those in old ground, are only coming up. 
Strong and cold north wind on the 17th. Size of cane, 
with leaves, on the 22d : ribbon plant cane measures from 
three feet to three feet and a half (fifty arpents of these 



L 22 ] 

cane, however, yielded seventy-two hogsheads of sugar); 
stubbles of ribbon cane are three feet ; Otahity plant cane 
two feet nine inches. Otahity stubbles are not large enough 
to be measured. North wind on the 23d. Through work- 
ing the cane crop for the third time on the 23d. River 
has fallen one foot from the 10th. Weather cool on the 
24th. Hoeing corn on the 27th. Weather unusually cool 
for the season, on the 30th. Weeding pastures on the 30th 
and 31st. 

June. Eight hundred cords of wood made. A good 
rain on the 1st and 2d. Otahity stubbles mark the row. 
Sowing peas in the thin Otahity stubbles on the 3d. The 
whole cane crop worked for the fourth time on the 11th. 
The heat is intense. Light rain on the 20th. Begun to 
ridge up plant cane on the 21st. A good rain on the 21st. 
The Otahity plant cane, which only measured two feet 
nine inches, on the 22d of May, have much improved. 
Light rain on the 24th and 25th. 

July. One thousand cords of wood cut. Through 
working the cane crop for the fifth time on the 1st. , The 
Otahity plant cane must again be worked. Through 
chopping wood on the 7th — one thousand cords. Trifling 
r^in on the 9th. Suffocating heat on the 10th. Heavy 
rain on the 11th. Rain on the 12th. Laying by plant 
cane on the 14th, 15th and 18th. Rain on the 16th and 
18th. The cane, being worked, are generally large enough 
to screen the ploughmen and teams. Rain on the 19th, 
20th and 21st. Through cleaning cross ditches on the 23d, 
Begun hauling wood on the 27th. Through laying by 
})lant cane on the 28th. Rain at midday. Rain all day 
on the 29th and 30th. Rain again on the 31st 

Aagast. Resumed the hauling of wood on the 4th. 
Very light rain on the 7th, and weather during night cool 
enough to close doors and to use covering, such as on June 
23d, L827. A sample cane measured four and a half feet 
in joints ; cane generally of good size on the 8th. Light 
rain on the 12th. Rain, with strong wind, on the 16th 
In the evening, the wind increased in violence, and thus 



[ 23 ] 

continued to blow until the 17th, at midday, a hurricane. 
The whole ground is flooded, such as in May, 1823 ; 
cane are blown down, and their leaves are torn. Rain on 
the 18th. 19th, 20th and 22d. Otahity plant cane mea- 
sure from three and a half feet to four and a half feet in 
joints. Through hauling wood on the 27th ; nine hun- 
dred and fourteen cords at the sugar house. Little rain 
on the 27th. Rain all day on the 28th, with strong wind. 
A second hurricane on the 29th, wind less violent, but as 
much rain fell as on the 17th. 

September. Rain on the 8th, 9th and 10th. Cut one hnn- 
dred cords of extra wood on the 10th. Light rain on the 
11th, in the evening. Gathered corn on the 13th and 14th. 
Begun making hay on the 15th, but rain interfered. 
Weather very warm. Cool north wind on the 17th, Fair 
on the 19th ; thermometer 14° Reaumur, above zero, in 
the morning. Resumed the cutting of hay. Weather 
very cloudy, and a sprinkle on the 24th. Through cut- 
ting hay. Northwest wind and weather fair on the 26th. 
Through storing hay on the 27th ; thermometer 10° 
Reaumur, above zero, at 6 h. A. m. Thermometer 9° R. 
above zero on the 28th. Clearing land on the 29th. 

October. Cane, with but few ripe joints, on the 1st. 
Rain on the 2d, in the morning. North wind, and 
weather fair, on the 3d. Begun matlaying cane on the 
8th. A heavy rain on the 8-th. Thermometer 8° R. above 
zero, on the 10th, in the morning. A cart load of stub- 
bles of ribbon cane, piit through the mill, gave juice 
weighing 6° Baume. Begun cutting cane for the mill on 
the 21st. Rain on the 23d; thermometer 7° R. above 
zero. Begun grinding on the 24th, by the Archibald's 
process ; one of the pumps gave way twice, on the 25th, 
at 4 h. p. M. Fourteen hogsheads of sugar made by the 
Archibald's process, which must be set aside. Made 
twelve hogsheads of sugar by the old process ; the sugar 
is finer. Forty-four arpents of stubbles yielded twenty- 
six hogsheads of sugar. Stopped grinding for want of 
cane at sugar house. White frost on the 27th ; thermom- 



[ 24 ] 

eter, under gallery, 4° R. above zero. Heavy rain before 
daybreak on the 30tli. Weather fair on the 31st-, resumed 
grinding. 

Novemher. Stopped grinding on the 6th. Rain on the 
9th. One hundred hogsheads of sugar altogether made 
on the 15th. Accident to machinery on the 15th. 
Weather getting warm on the 15th, 16th and 17th. 
Stopped grinding on the 19th ; steam pipes leaking. 
Resumed grinding on tha 20th. The engine and mill 
working badly; stopped grinding for one day. Ther- 
mometer R. zero on the 21st; ice of the thickness of one- 
quarter of a dollar. Resumed grinding on the 22d, at 11 
h. p. M. The juice of Otahity plant cane scarcely weighs 
7^° Baume, and makes sugar of inferior quality. Rain on 
the 24th, 25th and 26th. Light rain on the 27th. On the 
29th, at midnight, two hundred hogsheads of sugar alto- 
gether made. Rain on the 30th. 

Decemher. Rain on the 1st., 2d and 3d. North wind on 
the 4th. Ice on the 5th. Rain on the 7th, 8th and 9th, 
rendering roads impassible. Stopped grinding, being out 
of cane at sugar house. Ice on the 10th, 11th. 12th and 
13th. Through grinding on the 13th, at 3 h. p. m. Sleet 
on the 16th. Thermometer 1° R. below zero, on the 17th, 
all day. Heavy rain on the 18th. Light rain on the 19th. 
Northwest wind, and ice one-quarter of an inch thick on 
the 20th. Ice and heavy white frost on the 21st. Rain 
on the 23d and 25th. V. Aime's sugar crop, two hundred 
and ninety thousand pounds, sold at five and a quarter 
cents. 

1832. 

January. On the 1st, altogether twenty arpents of cane 
planted. Through plowing for plant cane on the 6th. 
Light rain on the 7th. Ground too dry for planting cane 
on the 21st, and still so on the 24th. Weather cloudy on 
the 24th. Ice on the 25th. Thermometer 8° R. below 
zero on the 26th; ice one inch thick; cane frozen in 
mats, especially the crooked ones. Cane planted in rough 
land, are half frozen. Rain on the 27th. 



[ 25] 

Fehruary. Through planting cane on the 3d. Begun, 
plowing in stubbles on the 14th. Through scraping plant 
cane on the 15th. Begun re-digging leading ditches on 
the 17th. Ice on the " Batture" one-quarter of an inch 
thick on the 19th (after rain and north wind). Rain on 
the 24th, 26th, 27th and 29th. 

March. Two hundred cords of wood cut. Cleaning 
land for corn on the 1st. Weather fair and cool on the 
6th. Begun grubbing stubbles on the 8th. Through 
plowing stubbles on the 10th. North wind on the 13th.. 
Some ribbon plant cane mark the row on the 13th. Thin 
ice on the 14th and 15th. Through hoeing corn for the 
first time on the 15th. Strong north wind on the 17th. 
Light ice on the 18th and 19th (the same weather as in 
March, 1843). Weather too dry. Through making twelve 
thousand shingles, and two thousand two hundred staves 
for hogsheads, on the 31st. 

April. Four hundred cords of wood made. Weather 
still dry. Rain on the 4th, during the whole night. 
Planting corn on the 7th and 9th. Some Otahity plant 
cane and some stubbles of ribbon cane mark the row on 
the 10th. Rain and thunder on the 14th, during the 
night. Through plowing and hoeing plant cane on the 
17th. Through plowing, harrowing and hoeing the cane 
crop for the second time, on the 21st. Rain on the 26th. 
Stubbles of ribbon cane in new ground mark the row on 
the 28th. Rain on the 28th, 29th and 30th. 

May. Seven hundred cords of wood cut. Rain on, 
the 1st and 2d. Weeding in new land on the 4th and 
5th. Rain on the 7th in the morning. Rain on the 8th 
and 9th. Heavy rain on the 10th. Rain again on the 
11th, 12th and 13th. Northwest wind on the 14th. 
Weather on the 14th and 15th cool enough for fire in the 
morning and evening. River has fallen six inches on the 
16th. Through working plant cane for the fourth time 
on the 21st. Size of cane, with leaves, on the 21st : 
ribbon plant cane measure four feet, but are irregular in 
size, except forty-five arpents, which are four feet five in- 
4 



[ 26 ] 

ohes. Cane planted before the ice in January, are thin and 
small. Stubbles of ribbon cane are about four feet, but 
are also irregular in size. Otah'ity plant cane measure 
three feet ten inches, and are very regular in size. 
Otahity stubbles are backward. Plowed and hoed in new 
land on the 25th and 2(3 th. Very warm on the 28th ; 
thermometer 23° R. above zero in the room, with open 
doors, at eight o'clock P. M. Theremometer in the room 
at four o'clock p. m., 25° R. above zero, on the 29th. 
Through working plant cane for the fifth time on the 
29th. 

Jane. Nine hundred cords of wood made. Weather 
cloudy on the 3d. North wind on the 4th ; ther- 
mometer 12 i° R. above zero in the morning, and weather 
cold enough to close doors at night. Chopping wood on 
the 9th. Begun hauling wood on the 11th. Good rain 
on the 16th and 17th. Sowed peas in the thin Otahity 
stubbles on the 18th. On the 19 ih, at three o'clock p. m., 
thermometer 26° R. above zero. A strong blow and little 
rain during the day. Bugun to ridge up cane. Rain on 
the 26th, 27th and 28th. Weeding pastures on the 27th 
and 28th. 

July. Ten hundred and fifty cords of wood made, a 
sufficient quantity for grinding. Rain on 1st, 2d and 3d. 
Ridging up Otahity plant cane on the 5th, 6th and 7th ; 
through on the 9th, and continue to ridge up the balance 
of plant cane. Resumed the hauling of wood on the 12th. 
Through ridging up plant cane and through working 
stubbles on the 14th. Cleaning main canal on the 16th. 
Cool nortli wind on the 17th, in the evening. Weather 
dry on the 18th. Partial rain on the 22d. Through 
hauling wood on the 25th. 

August. On the 1st, extended main canal five arpents 
in length. On the 3d made three thousand pickets and 
one thousand posts. All the pickets and posts hauled 
out on the 8th. A good rain in front on the 9tli. Some 
ribbon plant cane and some stubbles measure five feet in 
joints. Pea vines completely cover the ground on the 



L 27 ] 

11th. Rain in front on the 13th. Some ribbon cane 
measure six feet in joints on the 16th. Otahity plant 
€ane are about two and a half feet. Heavy rain on the 
19th, during the day and during the night ; ground 
quite wet. Rain again on the 21st. All fences repaired 
on the 23d. Gathered three hundred and fifty barrels of 
corn. 

Septemher. Rain, with violent wind on the 4th. Made 
one hundred and twenty cords of wood extra. Light 
misty rain on the 8th. Rain on the 9th, 10th, 11th and 
14th. Much rain on the 16th and 17th. Rain again on 
18th, 19th and 20th. North wind on the 22d; thermometer 
14° R. above zero, early in the morning. Cloudy and damp 
on the 24th. Weather warm on the 25th. Rain on the 
26th and 27th, which stopped hay cutting. Begun mat- 
laying cane on the 27th. North wind on the 28th ; ther- 
mometer 13i° R. above zero, on the 29th, in the morning. 
Hauled eighty cart loads of hay on the 30th. 

October. On the 1st, in the morning, thermometer 7i° 
R. above zero ; weather cold enough for fire. Resumed 
-cutting hay on the 1st. On the 2d, thermometer 5i° R. 
above zero. Hauled nine cart loads of hay on the 4th. 
Rain on the 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 
loth. Weather quite warm. Hauled in twenty cart loads 
of hay on the 17th. Weather fair on the 22d. Repaired 
the public road; on the 24th, thermometer 6i° R. above 
zero. Begun cutting cane for the mill on the 25th. Begun 
grinding on the 27th. Rain on the 30th. Stopped grind- 
ing on the 30th, having made twenty-one hogsheads of 
sugar. 

November. Rain on the 2d and 3d. Resumed grinding 
on the 3d. Stopped grinding on the 6th ; forty-four 
hogsheads of sugar made. Weather damp and cold. 
Resumed grinding on the 8th. Fair on the 9th ; ther- 
mometer li° R. above zero. Stopped grinding on the 13thj 
eighty-seven hogsheads of sugar made. Resumed grind- 
ing on the 15th, in the evening. One hundred hogsheads of 
isugar made on the 17th, at midday. Rain on the 18th. Ice 



[28 ] 

of the thickness of half of a dollar on the 19th. On the 20th,, 
thermometer 2?° R. below zero. Ice on the batture one- 
quarter of an inch thick. Cane are so frozen that their 
juice cannot be extracted. Weather fair on the 25th. 
Warm on the 26th, 27th and 28th. Warm and cloudy on- 
the 29th and 30th. Through grinding on the 30th, at 5' 
h. p. M. Some of the eyes, of cane in front, were still 
good. 

December. Rain on the 2d ; cold on the 3d. Ripe 
cane in the neighborhood are making very fine sugar. 
Begun plowing on the 5tli. Rain on the 9th. Begun 
planting cane on the 10th. Seed cane extraordinarily 
sprouted ; the cause of a thin stand later. One hundred 
arpents of cane altogether planted on the 22d. A tre- 
mendous rain on the 25th, such as the one which fell on 
the 16th of May, 1823. Rain again on the 29th, 30th 
and 31st. V. Aime's sugar crop in 1832, two hundred 
and se\en hogsheads, sold from three to five and a half 
cents. 

1833. 

January. One hundred and twenty arpents of cane 
planted. Resumed planting only, on the 4th, the ground 
having been too wet. Rain on the 13th. Weather fair 
on the 19th. Begun plowing in plant cane on the 22d. 
Rain on the 27th and 28th. 

February. Through spading old ditches on the 5th. 
Through plowing and scraping plant cane on the 9th, 
and chopping wood. Begun making staves on the 13th. 
A light rain on the 14th ; grading for a plantation rail- 
road. Four hundred and fifty-one pounds of pork from 
a hog raised here. Rain on the 19th and 20th. At least 
sixty arpents of ribbon plant cane mark the row. Very 
heavy rain on the 23d, such as the one of 16th May, 
1823. Begun plowing in stubbles on the 26th. Rain on 
the 26th and 27th. 

Marcli. Four hundred and fifty cords of wood cut, 
and two hundred and fifty cords remaining of last year's 



L 29] 

wood. Rain on the 1st. Ice one-fourth of an inch thick 
on the 2d. Ice again on the 3d. Trifling rain on the 
5th. Heavy rain during the night from the 5th to the 
6th. Rain on the 7th. Begun plowing in plant cane on 
the 15th. Rain on the 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th. 
All ribbon plant cane, except forty arpents, very nearly 
mark the row. Otahity plant cane are coming up. 
Planted corn in new ground on the 23d. Heavy rain on 
the 23d. Through working plant cane for the first time 
on the 29th. Through hoeing stubbles on the 30th. Some 
stubbles of ribbon cane mark the row. White frost on 
the 30th. 

April. Six hundred cords of wood made. Chopping 
wood on the 1st. Light rain on the 2d. Through plow- 
ing, in new land, on the 3d. All the ribbon plant cane 
mark the row on the 7th. Rain on the lltli. Re-plant- 
ing corn in missing places. Stubbles of ribbon cane mark 
the row, but are yet thin on the row, on the 12th. Rain 
on the 16th. Otahity plant cane mark the row. Rain on 
the 19th. Through working plant cane for the third time 
on the 24th, and through working stubbles for the second 
time on the 27th. Rain on the 28th, 29th and 30th. 
Weeding corn, in new land, on the 30th. River has fallen 
eighteen inches. 

May. Plowing and hoeing corn, in new land, on the 
1st, 2d and 3d. Heavy rain on the 3d. Some ribbon cane 
have suckered beneath ground. Rain on the 4th, 5th, 
6th, 7th, Sth, 9th and 10th. Harrowing and hoeing plant 
cane. Through working plant cane for the fourth time 
on the 21st. Rain on the 22d. Size of cane, with leaves, 
on the 22d : ribbon plant cane measured from four feet to 
four and a half feet ; stubbles of ribbon cane, four feet ; 
•Otahity plant cane, three and a half feet. Otahity stub-' 
bles hardly mark the row. Weeding corn, in new land, 
on the 23d and 24th. " Cholera here." Begun to ridge 
^ip plant cane on the 28th; twenty-six hands only in the 
field. 

June. Only sev-en hands hoeing on the 2d ; lost three 



[30 ] 

slaves of cholera; the disease is very violent. Rain on 
the 8th. Cholera on the decrease. Rain on the 9th. 
Sowed peas on the 10th and 11th. On the loth, both 
ribbon and Otahity plant cane are of fine size. Cutting 
weeds and ridging up cane, in new land. Weeded a por- 
tion of the corn crop on the 21st. Ridging up cane on 
the 24th, with the plow, and with the hoe, on the 27th. 
Rain in front on the 27th. Through ridging up plant 
cane, with the plow, on the 29th. 

July, On the 1st, some stubbles nearly screen the 
teams. Begun hauling wood on the 2d. Rain on the 
8th. Thermometer 27° R.. above zero, within doors, at 
3 h. p. M. on the 9th. Planted second crop of Charaky 
corn on the 10th. Through working stubbles of ribbon 
cane on the IStli. Weather too dr}^ ; occasionally, a 
shower, but none of any consequence since June. Ther- 
mometer 24° above zero, on the 18th, at 8 h. p. m. Through 
hauling wood on the 22d (one thousand and eighty cords). 
Bending corn on the 23d. Very light rain on the 27th, 
29th, 30th and 31st, 

August. A heavy rain on the 4th. Rain on the 5th> 
6th and 7th. On the 8th, an Otahity plant cane measured 
four feet ten inches in joints. Rain on the 9th, 10th and 
11th. One hundred and thirty-seven water melons gave 
forty-six gallons of juice, which, being evaporated, gave 
only three gallons of thick syrup. On the 15th, at 9 h. 
p, M., the thermometer 24° R. above zero, and thus stood 
during several evenings ; the heat, however, was not so 
very great. Clearing ground on the 20tli. Gathered five 
hundred and five barrels of corn, and hauled out lumber 
for the plantation railroad, on the 22d. Through hauling 
out lumber for the plantation railroad on the 31st. 

September, Rain on the 1st. Continue to clear land. 
Rain on the 4th and 5th, with very strong wind, which 
blew down much cane. Rain again on the 6th and 7th. 
Begun laying cross-ties of plantation railroad on the 11th; 
the work suspended on the 27th. Rain on the 27th and 



[ »1 ] 

28th. Matlayed Otahity stubbles, so as to plow the 
ground. 

October. North wind on the 2d. Rain on the 5th and 
6th. Laying cross-ties of plantation railroad on the 7th 
North wind on the 7th. North wind on the 13th. Ther' 
mometer 10i° R. above zero. Light rain on the 15th. 
North wind on the 17th ; begun cutting cane for the milk 
Thermometer 5J° R. above zero, on the 18th, in the 
morning ; and on the 19th, thermometer 5° R. above zero. 
Begun grinding on the 20th. Very cold north wind on the 
21st ; thermometer 2° R. above zero. Weather very cold 
for the season, on the 22d ; thermometer, zero; the ice 
the thickness of one quarter of a dollar ; several other 
planters assert that the ice was of the thickness of a dollar. 
Cane tops, generally, may still be matlayed, though some 
are frozen. Cloudy on the 25th and 26th. Cold north 
wind on the 28>th. On the 29th, thermometer i° R. below 
zero. Resumed grinding ; only forty-two hogsheads of 
sugar made on the 30th. 

November. Stopped grinding on the 1st, at midnight. 
Resumed grinding on the 4th, in the evening; one hun- 
dred hogsheads of sugar altogether made on the 8th. Rain 
on the 8th, 9th and 10th. Stopped grinding, with one 
hundred and twenty-two hogsheads of sugar made. Ice 
on the 15th. Thin ice on the 16th. Stopped grinding 
on the 17th, during the night, with one hundred and 
seventy-two hogsheads of sugar made. Weather cloudy 
on the 18th. Ice of the thickness of a dollar on the 19th; 
resumed grinding at midnight. Heavy white frost on 
the 20th. Altogether two hundred hogsheads of sugar 
made on the 21st. Light, but very coldrain on the 24th. 
Ice one quarter of an inch thick on the 25th. Thin ice, 
and exceedingly white frost on the 26th. Through grind- 
ing on the 30th, at 9 h. A. M. 

December. Light rain, before daybreak, on the 1st. 
Cane, in the neighborhood, so affected by ice, that they 
scarcely produce sugar, even of bad quality. Rain on the 
3d, 4th and 5th. A little rain on the 6th and 7th. Begun 



, [32 ] 

planting cane on the 9th. Weather, fair. Ice on the 15th 
and 16th. Rain all day on the 20th ; sixty arpents of 
cane planted. Ice on the 24th, 26th and 27th. Rain on 
the 28th and 29th ; ninety arpents of cane planted. Rain 
on the 30th. V. Aime's sugar crop, in 1833, two hundred 
and fifty-three hogsheads. 

• 1884. 

January. Heavy rain, with thunder, on the 1st. 
Weather cloudy and cold on the 2d. Skies clear olf in 
the northwest, on the 3d, and thermometer is 3° R. below 
zero. From the 3d to the 4th, very heavy sleet fell dur- 
ing the night, and continued to fall on the 4th the whole 
•day, and the sleet half melted, froze again, from two to 
two and a half inches thick, over the ice, during the night, 
from the 4th to the 5th. On the 5th, at 7 h. a. m., ther- 
mometer 6i° R. below zero; skating over the batture 
without ever breaking the ice. On the 6th, at 7 h. A. m., 
thermometer 3i° R. below zero. But on the 7th, at the 
same hour, thermometer 6° R. below zero ; skating again 
good. On the 8th, thermometer, under gallerj- , rose to 5° 
R. above zero ; it rained a moment, with thunder in the 
distance. Light rain on the 9th ; the sleet had not entirely 
melted until the evening. Light rain on the 9th, 10th, 
11th, 12th and 14th. Very heavy fog on the 16th, until 3 
h. p. M.; rain in the evening. Fog until midday, on the 
17th ; fog and rain afterwards, on the 18th, 19th and 20th. 
Rain, but not enough to interrupt planting on the 21st 
and 24th. Rain on the 28th and 29th. Through plant- 
ing cane on the 31st. 

February. Burning cane trash on the 2d. Begun 
plowing and scraping plant cane on the 3d. Through 
plowing and scraping plant cane on the 17th. Begun 
ditching on the 18th. Plowing for corn from the 18th 
to the 22d. Weather of late has been cloudy and 
warm, with a trifling rain occasionally. Begun plowing 
in stubbles, and also making staves on the 24th. Through 
spading leading ditches on the 26th ; weather still warm, 



[33 ] 

and threatening rain. On the 26th, at 8 h. p. m., thermom- 
eter, in the room, with open doors, ^1° R. above zero. 
Rain on the 27th and 28th ; planting cane in new land. 

March. Rain on the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, and rain everj^ 
day, until the 20th. Through plowing stubbles on the 
22d, and through hoeing them on the 27th ; the plant cane 
have also been weeded for the first time, and hauling wood 
on the 27th. Cane are backward, especially the stubbles. 
A light shower on the 28th. Through making and haul- 
ing staves on the 31st. Ribbon plant cane begin to mark 
the row tolerably well. 

April. Five hundred and fifty cords of wood made. A 
good shower on the 3d. Plowing and hoeing cane, in new 
ground, on the 5th. Hoeing corn, in old land, on the 10th. 
Hoed plant cane for the second time, in new land, on the 
11th. Through plowing plant cane on the 12th. A 
shower on the 13th, which wets completely mellow ground 
only. Begun second weeding of plant cane on the 14th. 
A good shower, with wind, on the 18th. On the 18th, all 
stubbles of ribbon plant cane, and most of the Otahity 
plant cane mark the row. Plowing and hoeing corn, in 
old ground, on the 27th. Working plant cane, in new 
land, on the 29th. Weather too dry on the 30th. 

May. Seven hundred cords of wood made. Light rain, 
and weather unseasonably warm on the 2d ; thermometer 
22 i° R. above zero. Cholera has made its appearance on 
some neighboring places. Working corn, [in old ground, 
for the second time, on the 3d ; a light rain in the even- 
ing; thermometer 23° R. above zero, at 9 p. m. in the 
room, with doors closed in the [direction of the wind. 
Northwest wind on the 5th ; resumed third weeding of 
plant cane. Weather cloudy, and cold enough for fire on 
the 6th and 7th. North wind prevailing from the 5th to 
the 15th. Rain on the 21st, after a drought of thirty- 
three days. Harrowed plant cane twice ; hoed them four 
times, and worked stubbles for the third time. Sowed 
peas on the 22d. Cane, generally, on the 25th, are irreg- 
ular, both in size and in stand, being larger where they 



[ 34 ] 

are thick. Plant cane measures three feet and a half with 
leaves, and have not yet suckered, except in the " brule." 
Some stubbles of ribbon cane measure four feet. Otahity 
stubbles tailed to grow. The corn crop is fine. Chopping 
wood on the 26th. Rain, during night, on the 29th, which 
liberally moistened the ground. 

June. One thousand one hundred cords of wood cut. 
Begun hauling wood on the 1st. Plowing in plant cane 
on the 2d. Weather very dry on the 9th ; thermometer 
26 J° R. above zero, at 4 h. p. M.; it is, however, cool enough 
in the shade, owing to the breeze. Ridged up plant cane 
in the 'brul^' on the 9th. Altogether one thousand two- 
hundred cords of wood made on the 14th. Chopping now 
for next year. Rain on the 17th ; the thermometer, 
which, every evening, was at 27° R. above zero, fell to 
22° R. above zero, immediately after the rain. Rain on 
the 18th. Sowed peas. Rain on the 20th. Rain and 
hurricane-like wind, from morning; until 5 h. p. xM., during 
the 21st. Rain on the 23d, 24th, 25th, 27th, 28th and. 
29th. Stubbles of ribbon cane nearly as high as the men 
hoeing them. 

July. Still ridging up plant cane on the 1st. Rain on 
the 5th, 6th and 7th. Bending corn, in old land, on the 
7th and Sth. Resumed hauling wood on the lUth. 
Through ridging up plant, and now ridging up lightly 
stubbles on the 12th. Seven hundred cords of wood at 
the sugar house. Bending corn, in new land, and hauling 
wood. A stubble, from the "brule," measuring three feet 
in joints. Stubbles, in old land, two feet eleven inches. 
Rain on the 16th, 17th and 18th, but not interfering with 
the hauling of wood. Weather cool since five or six days. 
Hoeing again Otahity plant cane ; they do not quite screen 
the laborers. Through hauling wood on the 22d. Through 
working the cane crop on the 25th. Spading main canal 
on the 25th, Rain wanted ; the ground too dry since the 
7th. Rain on the 29th and 30th; the ground not suffi- 
ciently wee. On the 30th, sample cane were brought in 
by the following planters : Fouch4, Roman, V. Armant, 



L 35] 

Dupare, Trudeau, J. S. Armant, and V. Ainie. The 
largest cane was that of V. Aime, measuring five feet two 
inches in joints. This cane, on the 12th, was only three 
feet ; its growth has been two and one-third inches per 
day. 

August. Rain on the 1st, which tolerably moistened the 
ground. Through spading canal on the 2d. On the 4thy 
making hogshead staves for next year. Ten thousand 
staves made on the 8th. Light rain on the 14th. Begun 
gathering corn, with the gang of women, on the 17th. 
Light rain on the 18th. On the 20th, the hands still 
chopping wood for next year. The weather is oppressively 
warm, though the thermometer is only 26° R. above zero, 
whilst, in the beginning of June, the heat was less, with 
thermometer at 27° R. above zero. Rain on the 22d. A 
heavy shower on the 23d. The bunch of cane, which 
measured five feet two inches on the 30th of July, now 
measure seven feet two inches. They grew twenty inches 
in the first eighteen days, and twenty-four inches alto- 
gether in twenty-nine days. Still gathering corn on the 
29th ; eighty-seven arpents of corn, in new ground, gave 
one thousand eight hundred barrels. Weather cool on the 
30th, in the morning. Thermometer 17° R. above zero, on 
the 31st, in the morning. 

September. Weather very fair and cool on the 2d., 
Through gathering corn (two thousand two hundred and 
fifty barrels). Rain on the 4th. On the 5th, rain, 
with very strong wind, which blew down much cane. 
Rain all day on the 6th. Rain on the 7th, with strong 
wind, which shifted to the northwest, in the evening. 
Very fair, but rather cold for this season, on the 8th; the 
thermometer 12° R. above zero, in the morning. Begun 
making hay on the 10th. Rain on the 16th, 17th, 18th, 
19th and 20th. Light rain on the 23d. Very fair on the 
25th. Cane have grown remarkably well since a month; 
their rapid growth due to rain falling opportunely. Rain 
on the 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th. Strong wind on the 
28th. 



[ 36 ] 

October. Rain on the 1st, 2d and 3d, with summer 
heat, though thermometer indicates only 24° R. above 
zero, whilst often, in August, it stood 27° R. above zero, 
with no greater heat. A neighboring planter is grinding 
since the 30th of September, but cane being green, he 
makes syrup only. Weather too wet and too warm. Rain 
on the 4th and 5th ; the weather is still too warm. North 
wind at last, on the 9th, in the evening. Weather fair on 
the 10th, and cloudy on the 11th, the wind shifting again 
to the northeast; this wind has prevailed during the last 
five weeks. North wind on the loth, in the evening. Ther- 
mometer 9° R. above zero, on the 14th; weather cold enough 
for winter clothing. Northeast wind again on the 15th, but 
weather very fine. Weather warm on the 17th. Light 
rain on the 18th; a shower again in the evening, with 
strong wind for a moment. Weather fair and cold on the 
19th ; begun cutting cane for the mill. First white frost 
on the 20th; thermometer 3° R. above zero, in the morn- 
ing. Begun grinding on the 27th. Ground thirty-seven 
arpents of cane in sixty-two hours. Resumed grinding on 
the 28th. Stopped grinding on the 31st ; having ground 
thirty-eight arpents of cane, giving very nearly the equiv- 
alent of sixty hogsheads of sugar made, in syrup, well 
clarified and filtered ; then stopped on account of accident 
to machinery. 

November. Resumed refining on the 3d ; the refining 
process working unsatisfactory, but on the 6th, all work- 
ing well ; filled one hundred and eighty-five moulds on the 
14th. Rain during the night, on the 14th and 15th. 
Rain all day on the 16th. Roads already in bad order. 
Fair on the 17th ; thermometer 4° R. above zero, in the 
morning. Weather cloudy and cold on the 25th. Ice on 
the 26th; thermometer 2^° R. below zero. Ice again on 
the 27th. 

December. On the 1st, weather unseasonably warm, 
with heavy rain during the night. Otahity cane, already, 
more or less spoiled. Weather fair on the 3d. White 
frost on the 4th. Rain on the 7th. Stopped grinding 



[ .3T ] 

finally on the 7th, during the night. Thirty-four cart 
loads of cane being required to make one hogshead of 
sugar, therefore, abandoned cane still standing. Weather 
cloudy and cold on the 8th. Weather fine on the 15th. 
Begun planting cane on the 16th. Cloudy and warm on 
the 20th. Through plowing ground for plant cane on 
the 20th. Rain on the 21st, 22d, 23d, 24th and 25th. 
Heavy rain and much thunder during the night on the 
26th. Ice on the 27th. White frost on the 28th. 
Weather very fair on the 29th and 30th. A Creole cow 
from plantation pasture, having never been fed on corn, 
gave seventy-one pounds of melted tallow. The result 
of this disastrous agricultural campaign is not given by 
Mr. Aime. Such was not the case at Mr. Edmond For- 
tier, of the parish of St. Charles, who ground the same 
year two hundred and forty arpents of plant cane, (sixty 
rows to the arpent) which yielded five hundred and fifty 
hogsheads of sugar. The canes being very rotten, were 
previously cut into pieces of one foot long, and then 
planted six inches apart. 

1835. 

January. Fine weather on the 1st. Sixty-three ar- 
pents of cane planted. Rain on the 6th, 7th, 8th and 
12th. Fair on the 14th, but rain, wind, and much thun- 
der during the night. Fair on the 15th. White frost on 
the 16th ; through planting cane, blowing for corn on 
the 17th. Cloudy on the 20th. Light rain and much 
thunder on the 21st. Weather warm on the 25th, 26th 
and 27th. Rain, wind and thunder on the 29th. 
Weather cold on the 30th. Ice on the 31st. 

February. Ice on the 1st. Rain on the 2d. Ice a 
finger thick on the 4th. Rain on the 5th. Weather 
cold on the 6th. Weather extremely cold on the 7th ; 
freezing all day in the shade. In New Orleans, Dufilho's 
thermometer, in his yard, 7° R. below zero. Mr. Brown, 
of Jefferson Parish, reports the thermometer 11° R. below 
zero. Thermometer here 10° R. below zero. This cold 



[38] 

•possibly, is not as severe as that of the 16th February, 
1823, when one could skate on ice over one foot of water. 
At present, ice will bear a person only over shallow 
water ; but this time, wine, vinegar and eggs were frozen ; 
at any rate, not much difference in temperature can be 
established between the two dates. Ice on the 8th, 9th, 
10th and 11th. Cane mats still so frozen, on the 11th, 
says a neighboring planter, that he could not plant. On 
all other places, however, they were able to plant on that 
day. Ice still reported in cane mats thirteen days after 
the ice of the 8th. In " 1823," the cold spell lasted only 
three days. The stand of stubbles, and of that portion of 
cane planted, which had not received rain previous to the 
7th, was so gappy as not to furnish seed enough to replant 
the same ground. Such, however, was not the case on this 
plantation, as planting was over, long before the freeze; 
ibut all the grass killed, and stock in sufterance. In 
March, consequently, poor beef, sold at twenty-five cents 
per pound, in New Orleans. Rain on the 25th. Ice and 
sleet on the 26th ; planting corn. Ice again on the 27th 
and 28th ; still planting corn. 

March. Light rain on the 1st. Weather warm on the 
2d and 3d. Cold rain on the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th. 
Cloudy on the 8th and 9th, but fair on each day, at 4 h. 
p. M. Weather very fine on the 11th. Rain on the 13th. 
Weather warm on the 14tli and J5th. Rain on the 16th, 
and heavy rain on die 17th. Fair on the 18th. Warm 
on the 20th and 21st. Rain on the 22d. Weather fair 
and cool on the 23d, 24th and 25th. A sprinkle on the 
26th. Much of the corn planted on or about the 26th 
February, not yet out of the ground. Plant cane not 
coming up, only a few scattering plants are to be seen. 
Through plowing and hoeing stubbles on the 28th. Be- 
gun hoeing plant cane for the second time on the 30th, a 
thick and hard crust of dirt over the plant cane, caused 
by the inclemency of the weather. 

April. Weather entirely too dry on the 1st ; cold on 
•the 5th. Very light white frost on the 6th, Weathei 



I 39 ] 

hazy on the 7th. River up to the high bank. Rain on 
the 13th, in the evening. Much rain on the 14th ; one 
half of the ribbon plant cane marking the row. No 
stubbles up yet. Planted corn in the Otahity stubbles. 
Rain on the 15th. River has fallen considerably. Begun 
plowing and hoeing corn in new land on the 17th; 
Otahity plant cane mark the row on the 30th. 

May. Seven hundred cords of wood made, and also 
three hundred cords of last year's wood. Through 
working, plant cane for the third time on the 4th. The 
heat has not yet been great, the thermometer never 
having risen above 21° R. Stubbles on this place are 
very inferior, except in the " hrule,'' where they are tol- 
erably good. Those" stubbles were, perhaps, worked too 
early, or may not have been sufficiently hilled (bedded) 
up to stand the cold spell of last February. Through 
working corn in new ground on the 8th. Very cold on the 
Dth, in the evening. Very warm on the 11th. Few cases 
of cholera in New Orleans, and in this neighborhood. 
Weather too dry. Cutting weeds in pastures 16th, 18th 
and 19th Cloudy and windy onjthe 20th, with rain 
■enough to lay the dust. On the 22d, size of cane with 
leaves : ribbon plant cane average three and a half feet, a 
small portion of them measure four feet. Stubbles of rib- 
bon cane are too poor to deserve mention. Otahity plant 
cane are two and a half feet high, but irregularly so. 
Otahity stubbles are a total failure. A few suckers are 
out in the ribbon plant cane, and the others just beneath 
ground. Through working plant cane for the fourth time 
on the 27th, and stubbles for the second time on the 30th. 
No rain since the 15th of April. On the 31st, the drought 
has lasted forty-seven days. 

June. Nine hundred cords of wood chopped. Begun 
hauling wood on the 1st, and sowed cotton in Otahity 
stubbles; the cotton came up, notwithstanding the drought, 
but remained small, and yielded nothing. A light rain on 
the 2d. Light rain, during three hours, on the 3d, which 
sufficiently moistened only mellow ground in front. Sowed 



L 40] 

peas on the 4th. River up to the foot of the levee since 
three weeks. A good rain on the 9th, being the first since 
that of April 15th. Some cane were therefore fifty-four 
days without rain ; they are not, however, small, consider- 
ing the drought. Rain on the 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, Idth, 
15th and 16th. On the 19th, at 9 h. p. m., thermometer 
23° R. above zero. Resumed fifth weeding of plant cane 
on the 19th. Rain on the 21st, 22d, 23d, 24th and 25th. 
North wind on the 26th-, resumed weeding plant cane; 
weather cold enough to close doors, and to use some cover- 
ing. 

Jul]/. Through ridging up plant cane, in front, on the 
2d. These cane did not quite screen the laborers. Re- 
sumed hauling wood on the 3d. A light rain on the 4th. 
Weeding peas on the 6th. Very heavy rain, during one 
hour, on the 11th. All plant cane ridged up, less forty 
arpents. Very heavy rain on the 12th. Thermometer 25° 
R. above zero, on the 13th ; the heat is extreme. Through 
billing balance of plant cane on the I6th. With leaves 
stretched, plant cane measure from six to seven feet. On 
the 17th, rain, which interferes with the hauling of wood; 
five hundred cords hauled to sugar house. Rain on the 
18tli ; cleaned all leading ditches. Rain on the 19th and 
20th, during the day and during the night. It very sel- 
dom rains during the night, in summer. Rain on the 21sty 
22d, 23d and 24th. Peas are scalded in low spots. Bend- 
ing corn on the 22d and 23d. Thermometer 25° R. above 
zero, in the room, on the 25th. Ribbon plant cane, in old 
ground, entirely screen a person. Weeding the cotton, 
which is very poor. Resumed the hauling of wood on the 
28th. Weeded stubbles, and also ten arpents of small rib- 
bon cane on the 27th, 28tli, 29th and 30th. Rain on the 
30th ; six hundred cords of wood hauled to sugar house. 
Size of sample cane, in joints, on the 30th : Fouche, a 
stubble, three and a half feet; J. S. Armant, a plant cane, 
four feet one and a half inches; Duparc, a plant cane, 
three feet eleven and a half inches; J. B. Armant, a stub- 
ble, three and a half feet; J. T. Roman, a plant cane, 



L 41 ] 

three feet eleven inches ; V. Aime, a plant cane, three feet 
eight inches. Cane here, next to the public road, which 
many consider so fine, measure, in joints, only two feet 
ten and a half inches. 

August. Rain on the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th and 6th. 
North wind on the 6th. Northwest wind on the 7th, with 
a little rain ; thermometer 19° R. above zero. Much rain 
on the 8th, 9th and 10th, making eleven rainy days in 
succession. Fair on the 11th. Light rain on the 12th.. 
Excessive heat on the 16th ; thermometer 24° R. above 
zero, at 9 p. m., in the room, with two doors open. I have 
since remarked, that this is not of an extraordinary occur- 
rence, as it has happened every year since. Resumed 
hauling wood on the 17th. Stubbles so thin that they 
had to be hoed again, on account of the grass. The color 
of plant cane is good, though some are very small. Shower 
on the 20th, 21st and 22d. Heavy shower on the 24th, 
and showers again on the 25th, 26th and 27th, making 
nineteen rainy days in August. In 1829, also nineteen 
days of rain in August, and eighteen rainy days in July. 
Size of cane : Cane which had three feet eight and a half 
inches, on the 30th of July, are now six feet ; those which 
had two feet ten and a half inches, have now five feet eight 
inches. An Otahity plant cane found of four feet seven 
inches, as in 1831. Mr. Duparc, a neighbor, brought in a 
cane six feet four inches on the 31st. Rain on the 31st. 

September. Much ram on the 2d ; rain on the 3d, dur- 
ing most of the day ; rain again on the 6th. Begun 
breaking corn on the 7th ; rain in the afternoon. Through 
breaking corn on the 11th (eighteen hundred barrels); 
the yield was not as good as last year. Begun making 
hay on the 13th, with the whole gang of laborers. Mak- 
ing hay on the 14th ; weather very fair ; cut twenty ar- 
pents of hay in two days. Rain on the 16th and l7th, 
and a little rain on the 18th, until midday; the weather 
cleared off in the afternoon, with northwest wind. Ther- 
mometer lli° R. above zero, on the 19th, in the morning; 
weather quite cool. Weather quite cloudy on the 23d. 
5 



[■42 ] 

Through storing hay on the 24th ; all stubble lofts are full, 
and forty stacks of hay in pasture. Northwest wind on 
the 25th, in the evening. On the 26th, in the morning, 
thermometer 9° R. above zero; weather very fair during 
the balance of the month. 

Octoher. Very cloudy and warm on the 2d. Fair and 
cool on the od. Altogether one hundred and ninety cart 
loads of peas in pods gathered on the 3d. Rain, with 
strong wind, on the 4th. Light misty rain, by intervals, 
on the 5th. Weather cloudy and cold on the 6th; ther- 
mometer 7i° R. above zero. Weather cold on the 8th ; 
thermometer 6° R. above zero, exposed under gallery to 
the north until 6 h. A. ii. Two hundred and twenty 
cart loads of pea vines made, besides fifty loads given to 
plantation hands. Stamped eighty-six calves, the folding 
of one hundred and twenty cows on the place. White 
frost on the 9th ; weather fine. Weather very fine on the 
10th ; thermometer 5° R. above zero ; rain on the 12th, 
13th, 14th, 15th and 17th. Weather warm and fair on 
the 22d Very cloudy and damp on the 31st ; begun cut- 
ting cane for the mill. 

Noremher. Weather cloudy, damp and cold on the 1st. 
Begun grinding on the 4th, in the morning. Stopped 
grinding during the night, from the 5th to the 6th. Rain, 
with strong wind, on the 6th, in the morning. Rain on 
the 8th, 9th and 10th. The first forty-six arpents of cane 
ground here only gave, in syrup, the equivalent of fourteen 
hogsheads of sugar. A neighboring planter ground sixty- 
eight arpents of cane, and made fifteen and a half hogs- 
heads of sugar, and immediately afterwards ground sixty- 
five arpents of cane, which made seven and a half hogs- 
heads of sugar in two days. He finally only made thirty- 
eight hogsheads of sugar from one hundred and seventy 
arpents of cane. Resumed grinding here on the 9th, in 
the evening. Weather cloudy and cold on the 11th. 
White frost on the 12th. Stopped grinding on the 12th, 
at daylight, having ground thirty-two arpents of phtnt 
cane to make twenty hogsheads, and eight arpents of 



[43 J 

■stubbles to make two hogsheads of sugar. Begun, ulti- 
mately, to refine, with one hundred and sixty-five large 
moulds filled. Weather fair on the 13th; rain on the 
IGth and 17th; quite warm on the 18th and 19th ; rain 
on the 20th, 21st and 22d ; cloudy and cold on the 23d. 
Thermometer, zero, on the 24th and 25th. Cloudy on the 
26th and 27th. Light rain on the 28th. Thermometer, 
zero, on the 29th and 30th, .with weather fair. 

Decemher. Fine weather on the 1st. Through cutting 
cane on the 3d. Through grinding on the 4th, at 3 h. A. M., 
making, in syrup, the equivalent of one hundred and thirty 
hogsheads of sugar. Ice on the 5th and 6th. Begun plant- 
ing cane on the 8th. Cloudy and cold on the 8th. Rain 
on the 10th and 11th. Cloudy and cold on the 12th, but 
weather fair, in the evening. Thermometer, zero, on the 
13th. Fair on the 14th and 15th. Cloudy on the 17th, 
18th and 19th. Rain on the 20th. Weather fine on the 
22d and 23d. Rain on the 25th. Weather very fair on 
the 29th, 30th and 31st; one hundred and ten arpents of 
<5ane planted. The actual crop of sugar, not refined, would 
have brought more money, owing to the high price of 
sugar made by the ordinary process. A hog raised here, 
and only three years old, being killed, weighed seven hun- 
dred and fifteen pounds. 

1836. 

■ January. Weather very fine on the 1st. Cloudy on the 
11th and 12th, and very warm on the 13th. Cloudy on 
the 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th. Rain on the 18th. 
Weather very fine on the 19th. Weather cold on the 
20th. Rain on the 23d. Very fine, but cold, on the 25th. 
Ice on the 26th, 27th and 28th. Rain on the 31st. 

February. Ice, and weather fair, on the 2d and 3d. 
Rain, and weather warm on the 11th and 13th. Fair on 
the 14th, 15th and 16th ; through planting cane, and be- 
gun plowing in plant cane. Rain on the 18th. Fair on 
the 19th and 20th. Heavy rain on the 22d. Fair on 



[44 ] 

the 23d. Cloudy on the 24th. Begun spading old ditches 
on the 27th. Rain on the 28th, with weather very warm. 

March. Rain, and weather cold on the 1st. Weather 
fair on the 2d. Ice on the 3d. Heavy white frost on 
the 4th. Weather warm on the 6th. Rain on the 7th. 
Fair on the 8th. Rain on the 9th, in the evening. 
Weather cold on the 10th. Ice on the 11th. Fair on 
the 12th. Wind all day on the 13th. Fair and warm 
on the 14th. Rain on the 20th. Weather cold on the 
21st. Very fair and cool on the 22d. Weather fair on 
the 23d. Rain on the 24th. White frost on the 25th ; 
through hoeing stubbles. White frost on the 26th. Rain, 
and weather warm on the 29tli. 

April. Rain on the 1st and 2d. Weather cool and fair 
on the 4th. North wind on the 5th ; plant cane mark 
the row. Cloudy and warm on the 8th. A light raia on 
the 9th. Stubbles, which were lined or replaced, mark 
the row on the 10th ; weather too dry. Begun third 
weeding of plant cane on the 16th. Rain on the 18th ; 
sowed peas. All the cane are well up. Through working 
plant cane on the 23d. Rain on the 30th. 

May. Rain all day on the 1st. Rain again on the 2d. 
Plowing, hoeing and trimming corn on the 3d, 4th and 
5th. Through weeding stubbles, for the second time, on 
the 0th. Begun working plant cane, for the fourth time, 
on the 7th. North wind on the 8th. Through working, 
for the fourth time, three hundred and forty arpents of 
plant cane on the 13th. Some plant cane have suckered. 
Begun working plant cane, for the fifth time, on the 14th, 
at midday. A pepper plant of last year, exposed all win- 
ter, is now bearing, the cold having lasted long, but not 
having been great. Through working plant cane, for the 
fifth time, on the 18th. Rain on the 19th, 20th, 21st and 
22d. Through working stubbles, for the third time, on 
the 25th. Size of cane, with leaves : ribbon plant mea- 
sure three feet, in coco land ; otherwise, four feet, and in 
new land, four and a half feet, but irregular in size ; stub-^ 



45 ] 

bles of ribbon cane, of fine color, and measuring; four and 
a half feet ; but some are very thin. Rain, with strong 
wind, on the 26th, during the day and night. Sowed 
thirty-two arpents of peas on the 27th, Northwest wind, 
weather cloudy, and cold enough for winter clothing on 
the 29th ; weather clears off during the day ; seventy 
hands only hoe thirty arpents of cane per day, as the grass 
is being thoroughly cut. 

June. On the 6th, through weeding plant cane for the 
sixth time. Very warm on the 8th. First great heat of 
the season on the 9th. Through working stubbles, for the 
fourth time, on the 10th. Harrowed and hoed plant cane, 
for the seventh time, on the 14th. Sowed forty arpents 
of peas on the 18th. Begun hilling up plant cane with 
plow and hoe on the 20th. Rain on the 24th ; through 
weeding peas. A good rain on the 25th ; rain also on the 
29th and 30th. 

July. Rain, at midday, on the 2d. Through working 
plant cane on the 2d, and weeding pastures. Some stub- 
bles, in old ground, are nearly large enough to screen the 
teams. Rain on the 3d, 4th and 5th. Rain, in the rear only 
on the 8th ; hoed cane, on " batture," for the tenth time. 
Weeded cane stubbles, in old ground, on the 10th ; they 
screen the hands. Plowed and hoed cane immediately in 
rear of the batture, for the ninth time, on the 12th ; these 
cane are very poor. A neighboring planter sends in a 
stubble cane measuring three feet four and a half inches 
in joints. North wind on the 14th. Cool in the morning 
on the 15th. A cane here, from second year rattoons, 
measures three feet in joints. A neighboring planter brings 
in a stubble of ribbon cane, from new land, measuring 
three feet eleven inches, on the 16th. No rain since the 
8th. Rain on the 18th ; through all plow work. Rain 
on the 19th. Bending corn on the 22d and 23d. Begun 
hauling wood on the 25th. Weeding hay crop on the 
25th and 26th. Rain on the 28th and 29th, interrupting 
the hauling of wood. Size, in joints, of sample cane, on 
the 30th : F. Duparc's cane, five feet six inches ; J . T. 



[46 ] 

Roman's, five feet five inches, and V. Aime's plant cane,, 
five feet two inches, and stubbles, four feet ten inches. 

Ai(c/ust. On the .1st, only seventy-three cords of wood 
made ; but there were twelve hundred cords cut last year. 
Rain on the 1st, 3d, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, lOth^ 
11th and 12th. Resumed the hauling of wood on the 14th. 
Gathered twenty-eight cart loads of pumpkins on the 17th. 
The heat is great ; thermometer 25° R. above zero. On 
the 19th, at 9 h, p. m., thermometer 23° R. above zero. 
On the 25th, rain enough to stop hauling wood on that 
day; partial showers on various points, and nights cool 
during the balance of the month. Fifteen hundred cords 
of wood hauled out on the 27th. Weather fair, and weed- 
ing pastures on the 28th. 29th and 30th. On the 31st, 
begun digging a sugar house pond, one hundi-ed feet long^ 
thirt}' feet wide, and eleven feet deep. 

September. Through digging pond on tlie 2d, at mid- 
day. A very light rain on the 3d. Plant cane are more 
than seven feet high, and stubbles, which measured four 
feet ten inches on July 30th, were six and a half feet 
on the 1st September, showing their growth to have been 
twenty inches in thirty days. Rain on the 6th, 7th and 
8th. Light rain on the 9th. Spadimr canal of lower line 
on the 9th and 10th. Rain on the 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 
loth, IGth, 17th, 18th and 19th. Working public road on 
the 19th, 20th and 21st. Rain again on the 22d, 23d 
and 24th. Begun cutting hay on the 23d. Weather fair 
on the 29th ; no rain since the 24th ; but only seventy 
cart loads of hay stored. 

Octoher. Strong northwest wind on the 2d. Gathering 
corn. Thermometer 9° R. above zero on the 3d and 4th. 
Through making hay. Thermometer 6° R. above zero on 
the 5th, at 6 h. a. >r. Gathering peas, and still breaking 
corn (two thousand five hundred barrels hauled). Weather 
very fair until the 18th. Light rain and weather warm 
on the 18th and 19th. Cloudy on the 20th ; begun mat- 
laying cane. Cold and fair on the 21st ; thermometer 3"^ 
R. above zero. White frost until 7 h. a. m. on the 22d. 



L 47] 

Through matlaying cane, to plant two hundred and twenty 
arpents, on the 25th. Cutting cane for the mill on the 
27th. Begun grinding on the 29th. Rain on the 29th. 
Weather cloudy on the 30th and 31st. 

Novemher. Weather cloudy and cold on the 1st. 
Light frost on the 2d. Very fair on the 3d. Ice on the 
5th. The leaves of sweet potatoes are frost bitten. Very 
fair on the 5th, and 6th. Rain on the 9th. Heavy rain 
from the 9th to the 10th, during night. Northwest wind 
and fair on the 11th. Light frost and thin ice on the 
13th. Very warm on the 17th. Rain on the 18th and 
19th. Cold on the 22d. Ice on the 25th and 26th. 
Rain on the 27th, during the night. Fair on the 28th at 
noon. Ice on the 29th, thermometer 20° R. below zero. 
Rain on the 30th during the night. 

December. On the 1st, cloudy in the morning and 
warm in the afternoon. Ice on the 2d, ice on the 3d, 
thermometer 3° R. below zero. Cane are killed to the 
ground. Light rain on the 4th. Rain all day on the 
5th. Ice on the 6th ; this freeze more severe than the 
previous one. Cane under ca.ne-shed frozen until noon. 
On the 8th, warm at noon ; a shower with wind ; weather 
cleared off in the afternoon. Very warm on the 11th 
and 12th; strong wind and rain on the 12th during 
night. Fair on the 13t,h, Heavy shower on the 16th. 
Ice on the 17th, thermometer li° R. below zero. Ice 
again on the 18th, thermometer 2° R. below zero. A 
little rain, and weather warm on the 19th, without wind, 
on the 20th with rain ; the wind blew down many fences 
and proved to be the strongest this year. Ice on the 
21st, thermometer 4° R. below zero. Still making sugar 
of first quality by cutting cane two joints below the green 
sheathing leaves. Stopped grinding to haul wood on the 
22d. Ice on the 22d, thermometer 4° R. below zero. 
Hauled out seventy cords of wood. Resumed grind- 
ing on the 23d, early in the morning. Light rain on 
the 24th. Still making very fine sugar with cane in front 
on the 24th and 25th. All neighboring planters also 



[ 48] 

making fine sugar; but warm south wind, fog and rain 
of the 25th and 26th, have so much spoiled the cane that 
even on the 26th sugar could no more be made, even with 
very ripe cane. Succeeded here in making good sugar 
by cutting cane one foot and a half long, from the 26th 
of December. Ice on the 27th; thermometer stood li° 
R. below zero. Ice on the 28th ; thermometer 3° R, be- 
low zero. Through grinding on the 28th ; having left in 
the field fifty arpentsof green cane, besides, one hundred 
arpents of cane were cut one-half of their real length for 
grinding. White frost on the 29th. V. Aime's sugar 
crop, six hundred hogsheads, with a loss of at least one 
hundred and fifty hogsheads. 

1837. 

January. On the 1st, fog, and afterwards rain at 10 
h. A. M.; weather cleared off in the afternoon. Weather 
fair on the 2d. Begun planting on the 2d. Ice on the 3d ; 
thermometer 3*^ R. below zero. Weather cloudy on the 4th. 
The 7th, fifty arpents of cane planted. Light, mist}^ rain 
on the 8th. Heavy rain during all night, from the 8th to 
the 9th ; again followed by rain on the 9th. Planting cane 
on the 11th. Heavy rain again from the 1 1th to the 12th. 
Cloudy on the loth. A light sleet on the 14th. Thick 
ice on the 15th ; thermometer 5° R. below zero. Ice on 
the 16th ; thermometer 7° R. below zero. Ice in cane 
mats all day, on the 16th. Rain on the 17th. Fair on 
the 18th. Rain on the 21st. Fair on the 22d. Heavy 
rain all day on the 25th. Rain during night on the 29th. 
Weather fair on the 30th. One hundred and seventy 
arpents of cane planted on the 31st. 

Febrnary. Rain on the 4th. Heavy fog on the 5th 
and 6th. Rain on the 7th, before day-break. Very fair 
and cool on the 8th and 9th and 11th. Fair on the 12th. 
White frost on the 13th. Cloudy on the 14th. Rain on 
the 15th. Weather fair on the 16th. White frost and 
ice on the 17th. Ice on the 18th. Cloudy on the 19th. 
Weather warm on the 20th ; through planting cane. 



I « ] 

Warm again on the 21st and 22d. North wind on the 
23d; through refining last year's crop. Rain all day on 
•the 26th. Weather fair on the 27th. Ice on the 28th. 

March. Weather very fair on the 1st, with white frost. 
Rain all day on the 2d. Rain on the od. Fair on the 
4th. Rain all day on the 6th. Rain again on the 7th. 
Weather fair on the 9th ; planted corn in stubbles. Rain 
during night on the 12th. Weather fair on the 13th. 
Rain on the 14th. White frost with thin ice on the 15th. 
White frost on the 16th. Weather cloudy, with few 
drops of rain on the 18th. Very fair on the 19th. Rain 
with thunder during night on the 20th. Fair on the 21st, 
22d, 23d and 24th, with white frost on the 24th. Through 
plowing plant cane on the 22d. 

April. Ail stubbles worked, for the first time, on the 
3d. Weather warm, and a sprinkle on the 4th. Plowing 
land for corn on the 5th. North wind, from the 7th to 
the 8th ; white frost, and even ice, reported. Weather 
very dry; cane not yet marking the row. Weather cloudy 
and windy on the 10th ; planted corn in new land. Heavy 
rain on the 12th and 13th. A light rain on the 14th and 
15th. Planting corn on the 17th; only from eighty to 
one hundred arpents of cane are toterably up. Through 
weeding plant cane, for the second time, on the 24th. On 
the 25th, weather cool enough for fire in the morning and 
at night. Nearly all the plant cane mark the row. 
Weather cool from the 25th to the 30th. 

May. Begun hauling wood into back pasture, and work- 
ing stubbles, for the second time, on the 1st; only stub- 
bles, which were lined, mark the row. • Through weeding 
plant cane, for the third time, on the 3d, and through 
working stubbles, for the second time, on the 5th. Light 
rain on the 6th. Sowed peas and worked corn, in new 
land, on the 8th ; one hundred arpents of stubbles, in new 
ground, mark the row. Hoeing corn on the 10th. Nearly 
all the stubbles mark the row on the 12th. Hoeing corn 
on the 13th. North wind on the 14th and 15th. Weather 
cold enough for fire, even in the afternoon, like on the 



[ 50] 

14th May, 1832, and 29tli May, 1836. Thermometer 9J° 
R. above zero, on the 16th, at 6 h. p, m. Good rain, dur- 
ing night, on the 16th. River has been falling since the- 
1st, and is now within its bed. Planting corn, in the thin 
stubbles, on the 18th, Through working plant cane, for 
the fourth time, on the 21st. Through working one hun- 
dred and seventy-two arpents of corn, in stubbles, on the^ 
22d. Size of cane, with leaves : one hundred and ninety- 
three arpents of ribbon plant cane measure three and a 
half feet ; Otah'ity plant cane, in bagasse, cut, are so thin 
and small that they hardly mark the row ; eighty arpents 
of cane planted with tops, are fair, and measure three feet, 
but where they were planted with matlayed tops, they are 
thin and small. A few suckers are out in plant cane. 
One cut of stubbles planted at eight feet, measure four feet, 
the balance of stubbles too small to be measured. Through 
working plant cane, for the fifth time, on the 80th. 
River has risen again, and is now up to the base of the 
levee. 

Jane. Hoeing pumpkins, for the second time, on the 
1st. Thermometer 25° R. above zero, on the 3d, and 
through working stubbles for the third time. Plant cane, 
in coco land, have a sickl}' appearance ; probably they 
have been too often troubled by the plow and hoe, during 
the drought. Corn hoed on the 5th, 6th and 7th, during 
this terrible drought, is growing very well, whilst plant 
cane, in coco land, are drying up. Thermometer 26° R. 
above zero, on the 8th, and 2,4^° R. above zero, at 9 h. 
p. M. Thermometer 27° R. above zero, on the Dtli and 
10th, and 24^° R. above zero, at 10 h. p. m.; very unusual 
heat for this season. Dried main sugar house pond with 
the Archimedes pump on the 9th, and cleaned the bottom 
with wooden spades, on the 10th. Light rain on the 11th, 
wetting ground only one inch. Rain on the 12th ; put- 
ting water in ditches, and thoroughly wetting mellow 
ground. Sowed one hundred and twenty arpents of peas 
on the loth. On the 14th, hoed a portion of peas, previ- 
ously planted. The largest plant cane nearly screen a 



[ 51 ] 

person. Rain on the 19th and 20th. Weeded balance ofr 
peas on the 21st. Corn looking well. Light rain on the 
23d. On the 24th, rain, which stopped field work. A por- 
tion of plant cane worked for the seventh time. Cutting 
weeds from the 24th to the 26th. Rain on the 25th, . 
26th, 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th. 

July. Rain on the 1st and 2d. Made three thousand'" 
six hundred pickets, and pulling up weeds in cane planted 
at eight feet. River rising on the 4th, 5th and 6th, and 
is sufficiently high to supply the rice fields, and drift wood^ 
is plentiful. Heavj rain, in rear, on the 9tb. Begun hill- 
ing up plant cane on the 10th, in the afternoon ; they 
screen the teams where they are largest. Hocing plant 
cane and stubbles, alternately. Rain on the 12th and 17th. 
Through hilling up plant cane on the 20th ; they were ■ 
already too large to be plowed. Rain on the 21st. River ■ 
has again risen on the 22d5 and much wood drifts down. 
It has been raining every day for the last few days. 
Heavv rain, for one hour, on the 24th. Rain asain on the- 
26th. Weeding peas planted in corn. Thermometer 24*^ 
R. above zero, on the 30th, at 9 J h. p. m. Size, in joints, 
of sample cane, on the 30th : J. B Armant, a plant cane, 
four feet eight inches, and a stubble, four feet six inches;: 
Fouche, a plant cane, three feet four and a half inches y. 
A. B. Roman, a stubble, four feet eleven inches ; E. Tre- 
pagnier, a stubble, five feet one inch ; Y. Aime, plant 
cane, four feet two inches, in old ground, and stubbles, in- 
new ground, four feet eight inches. 

August. Thermometer 27° R. above zero, on the 1st, 
in the afternoon. Through hilling up, with thelioe, plant 
cane in old ground. On account of the size of cane, the 
work should have been completed sooner, but rain pre- 
vented it. Some corn being bent too early, produced false 
ears. Thermometer 25° R. above zero, at 9i h. p. M., on 
2d and 3d. Through hoeing one hundred and twenty 
arpents of late corn, with peas, on the 4th. Chopping 
wood on the 5th ; five hundred and fifty cords already 
made this vear. North wind on the 6th and 7th, with a. 



[52 ] 

sprinkle, on the 6 th, thermometer being 19° R. above 
zero, like on the 6th and 7th of August, 1835. Begun 
cutting weeds in the hay crop on the 7th, Bending corn 
on the 8th. Rain on the 9th and 10th. River is falling. 
Rain on the 11th, from 9 h. p. m. until 10 h. p. M.; rain 
on the 12th, 13th and 14th. Resumed hauling wood on the 
16th. North wind on the 20th; nights are cool. The 
•cane crops, elsewhere, which did not receive the benefit 
of the latest rains, are in a precarious condition. Cutting 
coco grass, in corn land, on the 26th. Weather very dry 
and warm on the 29th ; thermometer 25° R. above zero, 
at 10 h. p. M. One thousand cords of wood hauled out on 
the 29th ; the loss is twenty-five per cent., after the hand- 
ling and hauling of last year's wood. Through cleaning 
leading ditches on the 30th. North wind on the 31st. 
and weeding pastures. 

September. Drought still prevailing on the 1st. No 
rain has fallen in a portion of St. Charles Parish, since 
the 23d of July; cane there are very small. Weather 
threatening rain every day, and thus interferes with hay 
cutting. Plant cane here, which measured four feet two 
inches on the 30th of July, measure seven feet three 
inches on the 8th of September, showing their growth to 
have been thirty-six inches in thirty-eight days, All the 
wood hauled out into back pasture, and one thousand 
cords cut for next year. Begun cutting hay on the Hth. 
The drought has been so great, that hauling in the 
swamps is easy. Rain sufficient only to wet hay on the 
14th and 15th ; stopped cutting hay. Gathering corn 
from the 16th to the 18th. Resumed hay cutting on the 
19th. Rain on the 21st during night ; rain on the 22d, and 
light rain on the 23d. Spading canal on the 22d and 23d. 
Gathering corn on the 25th. Cutting hay on the 26th, 
but rain again interfered in the afternoon. Rain on the 
27th. Chopping drift wood. Rain on the 28th. Cut- 
ting weeds on the 28th and 29th. On the 30th repaired 
main plantation road in the forenoon, and gathered six- 
teen cart loads of peas in pods in the afternoon. 



L53 ] 

October. Rain on the 1st, 2d and 3d, and worked' 
meantime on the public road. Light rain on the 4th and 
5th. Matlayed cane on the 4th and 5th ; these cane 
being even then too much sprouted, kept badly. Rain, 
with strong wind on the 6th, before day-break ; wind 
blowing from the east until 9 h. p. m., when it shifted to 
the northeast, and from thence to the north, with terrible 
force at 11 h. p. m.; at 1 h. A. m,. the wind slackened, and 
blew from the northwest, on the 7th. The wind blew 
down one hundred arpents of cane, but not so as to injure 
them much, for they yielded one and a half hogsheads to 
the arpent. Smaller cane are leaning, or are inclined. 
The rain, during the storm, overflooded the ground, and 
put two feet of water in some cane in lower line. Weather 
fair, and matlaying cane on the 8th. Northwest wind, 
and thermometer 10° R. above zero on the 9th. Cutting 
hay on the 9th, 10th and 11th. Weather cloudy on the 
11th. Hauling wood to sugar house on the 10th, 11th, 
12th, 13th and 14th. Through storing hay on the 14th, 
and gathered torty cart loads of cow peas in pods. 
Weather fine on the 15th ; thermometer 11° R. above 
zero. Through breaking corn on the 18th, at midday, 
(4200 barrels), and begun picking corn of plantation 
hands, in the afternoon ; their crop amounting to fifteen 
hundred barrels. Cutting coco grass on the 22d. Mat- 
laying cane on the 23d. Rain on the 23d and 24th. 
Northwest wind on the 25th. Light white frost on the 
26th; thermometer 3 P R. above zero. White frost on 
the 27th, and thermometer 3° R. above zero. Thermom- 
eter 4° R. above zero, on the 28th and 29th, and through 
putting up set of kettles of Garcia's pattern. The 30th, 
given the day to the hands. Through matlaying cane on 
the 31st, at midday, and cutting cane for the mill in the 
afternoon. 

November. Rain by intervals the whole day on the 3d. 
Begun grinding on the 3d, in the morning. Weather 
very fair on the 5th and 6th. Stopped for want of cane 
to the mill on the 6th, and matlayed the tops of fifty 



[ 54 ] 

arpents of cane. Resumed grinding and using set of 
kettles of Garcia's pattern. In twentj^.four hours, made 
in syrup, the equivalent of nine hogshead of sugar, with 
only thirteen cords of woods. During the following 
twenty-four hours, the equivalent of nine hogshead of 
sugar was made in syrup, with eighteen and a half cords 
of wood, only three feet long, and cut the previous year. 
In the next twenty-four hours, the equivalent of eleven 
hogsheads of sugar was made in syrup, with twenty-two 
cords of wood, also three feet long, 'and cut the year 
before. A mould or form of sugar (filled) before being 
bored, contains one hundred and twenty-one pounds of 
matter, and thirty-six hours after having been bored, will 
disgorge sixteen pounds of molasses ; and eighteen days 
after having been bored, will give forty-one pounds of 
molasses, with eighty pounds of dry sugar remoining in 
the mould ; therefore, a mould of sugar contains eighty 
pounds of dry sugar and forty-one pounds of molasses. 
Weather cloudy and as warm as in summer on the 11th, 
12th and 13th. North west wind and weather fair on 
the 14th. Light white frost on the 15th. Fair on the 
16th. Weather warm, with rain and thunder on the 
17th. Quite a heavy shower on the 18th, and little rain 
on the 19th, before day. Quite warm on the 20th and 
21st. North west wind on the 22d. Weather very fair 
on the 23d; thermometer 1° R. above zero; some ice 
found in small vessels. Thermometer- 4° R. above zero 
on the 24th. White frost on the 25th. Some cane tops 
are affected by the cold. Weather warm on the 28th. 
Very thick fog on the 29 th and 30th. Cane taken from 
the carrier are very often seven feet four inches long. 
Burnt four hundred and eighty cords of wood cut three feet 
in length, to make two hundred and sixty-six hogsheads 
of sugar. 

Decemher. Weather cloudy on the 1st. Light rain 
during night, from the 3d to the 4th. Weather continues 
cloudy. Rain during night from the 8th to the 9th. Ice 
and white frost on the 11th. Heavy rain during night, 



L 55 ] 

from the 11th to the 12th. Light rain all day on the 
12th. Weather very fine on the 14th, and only partially so 
on the 15th. Rain with strong south wind all day on the 
16th. Stopped grinding to clean boiler. Rain on the 
17th. Weather very fair on the 18th, 19th and 20th. 
Rain on the 22d. Through grinding on the 22d, in the 
morning, having used nine hundred and forty cords of 
wood, cut three feet in length, to make five hundred and 
twenty thousand pounds of sugar, manufactured in forty- 
nine days. But besides, four hundred and fifty cords of 
wood, four feet in length, were consumed by the two engines; 
therefore, only about two and one-third cords of wood 
were consumed per hogshead. Cold rain all day on the 
23d. Weather very fair ©n the 24th. Fog in the morn- 
ing on the 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th and 31st, but weather 
spring like balance of the day. About forty arpents of 
<jane planted. 

1838. 

January. Weather warm and foggy in the morning, 
but fine the balance of the day on the 1st. Rain on the 
4th. Rain in the afternoon on the 6th ; rain on the 7th. 
Fair weather on the 8th and 9th. Light cold rain all 
day on the 10th. Ice on the 11th and 12th ; thermo^ne- 
ter 2i° R. below zero. Ice again on the 13th. Rain on 
the 16th, and also the 17th, before daybreak, much rain 
during the day. Ice on the 20th and 22d. Ice and white 
frost on the 23d. Rain also on the 24th, and again on 
the 25th, all day. Fair on the 28th. Rain on the 31st. 

Fehruary. Rain, so cold as to freeze at midday on the 
1st. Ice on the 3d ; long icicles along the whole bank 
of the river on the 4th ; thermometer 5i° R. below zero. 
A little rain on the 6th. Rain on the 7th and 8th. 
Weather fine on the 10th, in the afternoon, and very fine 
on the 11th. Heavy rain on the 12th, in the afternoon. 
Very fair on the 13th. Rain on the 14th and 15th, Ice 
on the 16th; on the 17th, ice thicker than that of the 
4th ; portion of the batture being frozen three-fourths of 



[ 56 ] 

an inch thick. Rain on the 19th. Weather fine on the 
20th; on the 21st, a little sleet in the morning, and about 
noon cold rain. Ice on the 22d. Light frost and 
weather fair on the 23d. Light white frost again on the 
24th. Light rain on the 26th, before daybreak, and the 
day fine. Very fair on the 27th. Begun plowing plant 
cane, and through refining last years' crop on the 28th. 

March. Through planting on the 1st. A little rain on 
this day; a shower before daybreak on the 2d ; rain on 
the 3d and 4th ; fair on the 5th ; a shower on the 6th, 
before day, and fair the balance of the day. Thin ice 
and white frost on the 7th. Little rain on the 10th and 
11th ; fair on the 12th ; rain on the loth ; very fair on 
the 14th. White frost on the ITth, with northwest wind ;. 
thin ice and white frost on the 18th. River rising fast. 
White frost on the 19th. Through working stubbles 
with the plow on the 2(5th, and with the hoe on the 
31st. 

April. Weather very dry on the 3d and 4th. All 
plant cane, and more or less all stubbles mark the row on 
the 16th. Through working stubbles on the 18th only, 
as most of the hands were, in the meantime, employed in 
ditching. Rain, with wind and thunder, on the 18th, at 
night ; the ground pretty wet. North wind on the 18th, 
with white frost. Thermometer 5° R. above zero, on the 
19th. Through hoeing all cane on the 27th, for the sec- 
ond time. On the 27th, weather still ver}^ dry. River 
within its bank since the 24th. 

May. Sufficient rain to wet mellow ground on the 3d. 
Begun hoeing plant cane, for the third time, on the 4th. 
White frost on the 5th. Thermometer 6** R. above zero; 
weather cold enough for fire in the morning until the 
10th. Through hoeing plant cane on the 10th, for the 
third time. Weather being too cool, since a week, affects 
the color of cane. Most plant cane has suckered, and 
the others are suckering. The color of cane has improved. 
Through working stubbles, for the second time, on the 



[ 57 J 

17th. Begun to work plant cane, for the fourth time, on 
the 18th. Heavy rain on the 21st. River has risen con- 
siderably. Northwest wind and white frost on the 23d. 
Weather cold enough for fire morning and evening ; ther- 
mometer 8° R. above zero. On the 25th, white frost; 
thermometer 5° R. above zero. Weather astonishingly 
cold for the season, the overcoat being required. Size of 
cane, with leaves, on the 24th : ribbon plant cane, in new 
ground, planted with cane tops, are only three and a half 
feet ; they are smaller and thinner than the balance, the 
seed having been cane tops ; other ribbon plant cane, in 
old ground, measure three feet nine inches ; the same, in 
better ground, from four feet to four and a half feet, but 
smaller and thinner proportionally wherever cane tops 
were planted. Stubble of ribbon cane generally from four to 
four and a half feet. The size of Otahity plant cane 
three and a half feet. Through hoeing plant cane, for 
the fourth time, on the 29th. Light misty rain, of no 
consequence, during the day ; heavy rain on the 31st. 

June. Rain on the 1st ; a little rain on the 2d, 3d 
and 4th. Begun hoeing plant cane, for the fifth time, on 
the 8th. Up to the 10th thermometer has never risen 
above 23° R. On the 12th through hoeing (in four and 
a half days) three hundred and eight arpents of plant 
cane ; through plowing and hoeing stubbles, for the third 
time, on the 19th, Weather too dry. On the 23d, 
through making plant cane, for the sixth time, with har- 
row and hoe. A good but partial rain on the 23d, In good 
plant caiie some cane measures six feet with leaves, whilst 
in coco land, planted with tops, they are very poor. 
Weather too dry ; extreme heat on the 27th, 28th and 
29tli; thermometer 28i° R. above zero, within door, and 
24° R. above zero, every evening. 

July. Begun laying-by plant cane, on the 3d ; they are 
irregularly large, the cane planted with tops being gen- 
erally smaller. Rain on the 4th ; heavy rain during the 
night below this place ; only a few drops fell here ; rain 
is of rare occurrence during night in summer; rain on 
6 



[ 58 ] 

the 7th, late in the evening; rain on the 8th; rain on 
the 12th, at noon ; rain on the 13th ; trifling rain on the 
16th and 17th. Laying-by plant cane on the 19th. 
Through hoeing small stubbles on the 21st. The 28th, 
too much drought. 

August. Size of plant cane on the 1st, from four to five 
feet, in joints. A planter brings in a plant cane, jointed, 
six feet ; another planter brings in a stubble five feet 
seven inches. Rain on the 3d, 4th, 10th and 11th, and 
also a little rain on the 12th; rain on the 17th at noon. 
Loss in handling and hauling wood twenty-five per cent. 
Rain on the 21st and 22d. Weather fine on the 23d, 
with northwest wind ; very warm on the 27th and 28th, 
with little rain and strong wind on the 28th ; much rain 
five miles above. 

/September, A bountiful rain, with very strong wind 
on the 1st ; the 2d, northwest wind ; thermometer 13^ 
R. above zero ; it is quite cool for the season ; the wind 
shifts to the northeast ; the 11th, weather too dry ; no 
rain since the 1st. Cutting hay on the 12th and 13th ; 
weeded pastures on the 14th and 15th. Rain and wind 
from the 15tli to the 16th; little rain on the 17th; rain 
again on the 22d ; weather very fine on the 23d ; on 
the 24th and 25th thermometer 82° R. above zero, with 
very fair weather; cloudy on the 27th, in the morning; 
weather fair aftertwards. 

October. Through saving hny on the 2d, and through 
gathering corn on the 10th (about 5400 barrels). North- 
west wind on the 9th, without rain ; on the 12th 
white frost; thermometer 4J° R. above zero; same tem- 
perature on the 12th. On the 14th, through gathering 
corn crop of plantation hands, who made .about two 
thousand three hundred barrels. A shower during the 
night of the 14th. Begun matlaj'ing cane on the 15th. 
Rain all day the 17th; rainy and cold on the 19th, the 
whole day ; weather cloudy on the 20th and 21st ; ther- 
mometer from 5i to 6i° R. above zero. Through mat- 
laying on the 21st. Begun grinding on the 27th. Weather 



[ 59 ] 

cloudy on the 28th ; on the 29th white frost; thermome- 
ter only 3i° R. above zero, though ice is reported ; weath- 
er very fine on the 30th; thermometer 3i° R. above 
zero. 

Novemher. Eighty-two arpents of cane, with rows at 
six feet, and some at twelve feet, yielded only fifty-five 
hogsheads. Thirty-three arpents of stubbles, with rows 
at eight feet, gave fifty-three hogsheads. On one set of 
kettles, one hundred and six hogsheads of sugar were 
made, in eight days. Weather warm and threatening 
^n the 3d, but fine on the 4th. Resumed grinding. Eighty 
arpents of stubbles yielded a little over the hogshead to 
the arpent, the juice weighing 9° B. Heaviest rain of 
the whole year on the 7th. The juice of small stubbles, 
in old ground, weighs 10° B., a fact which had not oc- 
curred here since 1830. On the 8th north wind, and fine 
cold weather : ice, one-quarter inch thick, in a sugar- 
house kettle, on the 9th, with thermometer at 1° R. above 
zero ; east wind on the 10th ; [thermometer 5° R; above 
zero. Some cane tops bordering the roads are affected. 
On one set of kettles made one hundred and five 
hogsheads of sugar . in eight days. Eighty arpents of 
stubbles yielded one hundred and twenty hogsheads of 
sugar. Cane, over the river, affected by cold. On the 
13th, rain all day, and heavj- rain, with thunder; during 
the night ; rain from the 14th until the 17th, in the night ; 
weather fine and cold on the 19th ; thermometer 1° R. 
below zero; this ice, however, was lighter than that of 
the 9th. On the 19th, at noon, three hundred and four 
hogsheads of sugar made, having ground twenty-three 
days. Ice and white frost on the 20th ; thermometer 1° R. 
below zero ; ice and heavy white frost on the 21st and 
22d ; thermometer at zero ; ice and white frost o-n the 
23d; ice and white frost on the 24th; thermometer 2i° 
R. below zero ; northwest wind, and weather cloudy in 
the afternoon. Windrowed forty-eight arpents of cane. 
Splendid weather on the 25th ; cold on the 26th ; ther- 
mometer 2° R. below zero; cloudy and light drizzling 



L 60 ] 

rain on the 28th ; splendid cold weather on the 29th. 
Windrowed twenty-four arpents of cane, placing cane 
four rows on one. Thermometer at zero on the 30th. 

December. Weather cloudy and a trifling rain on the 1st. 
Rain on the 2d ; heavy rain, with thunder, on the 3d, 
before day-break ; very warm and very heavy rain on the 
4th ; northwest wind on the 6th; fair on the 7th ; 
thermometer at zero ; ice and heavy white frost on the 
9th ; thermometer i° R. below zero ; cloudy on the 9th 
and 10th ; white frost and weather fair on llth ; white 
frost again on the 12th ; weather cloudy on the 14th and 
15th, and light rain from the 15th to the 16th, during 
night. Through grinding standing cane on the 16th ; 
isix hundred and twenty-six hogsheads of sugar made. 
Rain on the 17th ; weather fine on the 18th and 19th,^ 
but rather warm on the 22d. Through cutting cane on 
the 23d. The seventy-two arpents of windrowed cane 
proved excellent, having been windrowed before being 
entirely frosted. Through grinding on the ^4th, at 10 
A. M., having made seven hundred and fifteen hogsheads 
of sugar, in fifty -seven days. Thermometer 4° R. below 
zero, on the 24th, at 6 J o'clock in the morning, the usual 
hour at which the thermometer has been consulted. 
Cloudy, and drizzling rain on 25th ; rain on the 28th, 
during the night ; weather cold on the 29th ; ice on 
the 30th and 31st. 

1839. 

January. Weather cloudy half of the day, on the 
1st : white frost, and weather cloudy on the 2d ; very 
damp, with drizzling rain the whole day, on the 3d and 
4th; but this weather does not interrupt planting. Cane 
seed is very good. Weather pleasantly mild on the 12th. 
Through preparing ground for planting cane. Clover, 
in pastures, luxuriant. Rain on the 14th and 18th ; 
fair on the 20th and 21st ; ice and heavy white frost 
on the 22d ; rain on the 24th and 25th. The last rain 
interrupted planting. Rain on the 30th, and on the 31st 
all day. 



[61 ] 

Fehruary. Weather fair on the 1st. Resumed planting 
cane on the 2d. Weather cloudy ; fair on the 3d ; rain 
on the 4th, in the afternoon ; rain day and night on 
the 5th, 6th 7th and 8th ; weather splendid on the 11th 
and 12th. From the 11th to the 19th, white frost and 
thin ice, more or less, every morning. Through planting 
cane on the 19th, and begun .plowing in plant cane, 
Weather good but a little cloudy on the 20th. Willow 
trees are already green with leaves. Tremendous rain 
on the 23d; water laying until night on lower side of 
plantation. Weather warm and fine on the 27th and 
28th. 

March. Rain on the 2d ; cold north wind at midnight, 
which lasted until the 4th, in the evening ; ice on the 
3d; thermometer 1° R. below zero; snow, sleet and ice 
on the 4th, thermometer 11° R. below zero. The cold 
is extreme. On the 9th, river is as low as it ever gets to 
be. Bayou Plaquemine is not navigable; an extraordi- 
nary stage of water for this time. Through working 
plant cane on the 11th. Rain on the 13th. Begun working 
stubbles on the 14th; weather warm. Some cane are up 
on the 15th. Rain on the 20th and 21st ; warm on the 
33d ; weather fine and cool on the 24th ; light white 
fro^t on the 25th. Through working stubbles, and begun 
working corn on the 27th. The 28th, cane fast coming 
up. Heavy rain on the 29th. Through refining last 
years' crop ; thirty thousand pounds of bastard sugar left. 
Very fine weather on the 30th ; white frost on the 31st. 

April. White frost and weather very fine on the 1st; 
weather cloudy on the 3d, and a little rain on the 4th. 
In many places cane mark the row, the 5th. Begun to 
hoe plant cane, for the second time, on the 6th. Rain on 
the 8th ; weather warm and cloudy on the 9 th ; rain on 
the 10th ; weather fine and cool, in the morning and eve- 
ning, on the 11th ; weather very warm the 17th and 18th ; 
rain during the night on the 19tli. Begun working plant 
cane with the light plows on the 19th, and begun hoeing 
them on the same day, for the third time. The stand of 



[ 62] 

plant cane is very fine, and stubbles generally mark the 
row. Otah'ity plant cane mark the row, but are not yet 
thick enough. Through working plant cane with the 
plow and hoe, for the third time, on the oOth. Some 
plant cane have suckered, others are suckering. 

May. Through throwing dirt to stubbles on the 1st. 
Rain during night on the 3d ; north wind on the 4thy 
and northwest wind on the 5th. In May, at this time, 
north wind generally prevails, but is very seldom as cool 
as on the 5th and 6th of May, 1838. Through working 
stubbles again with the hoe on the 18th. On the 9th 
rain, which began at six A. m., fell until the 11th at mid- 
day. Begun weeding plant cane, for the fourth time, on 
the 17th. Cane, here, were never so grassy. Heavy rain, 
on Sunday, the 19th. Size of cane, including leaves, on 
the 23d : ribbon plant cane from four feet two inches, to 
four feet nine inches, some are five feet, but in coco land 
plant cane three inches smaller; stubbles of ribbon cane 
from four to four and a half feet ; Otah'ity plant cane 
three and a half feet ; Creole cane three feet, but are 
irregular and grassy. Cane are finer, and the prospect of 
a 3-ield is better than last year; but much, however, will 
deoend upon the maturity of cane at the time of grind- 
ing. Last year the cane were juicy and sweet, the juice 
weighing even 10° B., the cane never having been so ripe 
since 1830. It is as warm as in June, the thermometer 
rising to 25° R. North wind on the 27th ; weather dry. 
Through working plant cane, for the fourth time, on the 
29th; cane even so grassy that it took ten days to weed 
them. Begun the third weeding of stobbles on the 30th ; 
although too dry, the weather was propitious, inasmuch 
as all the cane could be cleaned of grass. 

June. Very little rain on the 4th. Through weeding 
stubbles, for the third time, on the 7th. Begun fifth 
weeding of plant cane on the 8th ; through weeding 
plant cane, for the fifth time, on the 11th. From the 
13th to 15th layed by a certain portion of the largest 
cane ; the middle of the row will, probably, have to be 



L 63 ] 

hoed again. Rain, over plant cane only, on the 14th, 
at noon; good rain on the 19th. Laid by a portion of 
■the stubbles on the 18th and 19th. River rose, but is 
again extraordinarily low, on the 22d. Rain on the 
27th. Through laying by plant cane on the 29th, and 
begun, on the same day, to plow and hoe stubbles for the 
fourth time. A rain and very strong wind on the 29th. 
The heat is suffocating; thermometer 24° R. above zero 
at 10 h. p. M.; rain on the 30th. 

July. Through refining last year's crop on the 3d. 
Ploughed some cane for the purpose only of deepening 
the furrows, the cane being already large. Heavy rain 
on the 7th, and rain again on the 8th. Through plow- 
ing cane on the 10th, and through hoeing them on the 
11th. Rain on the 12th and 18th, and much rain on the 
14th, beginning in the night; on the 18th incessant and 
pouring rain, from 2 h. A. m. until midday, putting from 
one-half to one foot of water over one hundred arpents 
of cane; water still on fifty arpents, the next day, at 11 
h. A. M. These same cane yielded two and a quarter 
hogsheads to the arpent, though again under one foot of 
water about the time to cut them. Rain again on the 
19th, and but little rain on the 20th. The caterpillars 
have appeared in two hundred and twenty arpents of 
stubbles, of which one hundred arpents are so much 
injured that but few leaves are left. On the 23d worked 
Otahity cane in coco land. Rain on the 23d ; heavy 
showers on the 24th, 25th, 26th and 28th. The heat very 
great on the 30th; thermometer 24i° R. above zero at 
10 h. p. M. Compelled to hoe again the stubbles eaten 
up by the caterpillars, on the 31st ; it rained the same 
day. Size, in joints, of cane on this and neighboring 
places : Ribbon plant cane from four feet eight inches to 
six feet one inch ; Otahity cane four feet one inch ; Creole 
cane three feet one inch. 

August. Rain on the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 11th; 
rain, with east wind, on the 13th, and rain again on the 
14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, and heavy rain on the 18th; rain 



[ 64 ] 

on the 19th, 20th and 21st; light rain on the 24th. 
Hauling wood balance of the montli, and chopping wood 
for the following year. 

Septemher. Cutting hay in the morning, the 2d, but 
weather getting bad, gathered corn in the afternoon. 
Resumed hay cutting on the 3d, in the afternoon, and 
stored twenty-four cartloads of hay. Rain on the 6th. 
Stopped cutting hay on the 7th. Through hauling wood 
on the 11th. North wind, and thermometer 16° R. above 
zero. Trifling rain on the 18th. Througlt hauling and 
storing hay on the 20th. Four thousand barrels of corn 
gathered the 24th. From the 2oth to the 27th gathered 
eighty cartloads of peas. Weather cloudy on the 27th, 
with enough rain only to la}^ the dust; weather so dry 
that pasture ponds are dry and must be re-dug. 

October. North wind on the 1st, and thermometer 12° 
R. above zero, at 6 J h. a. m. Weather cloudy, and very 
little rain on the 5th. There is so little water in pasture 
ponds, recently dug, that stock has to be watered at the 
river. Rain all day on the 6th. From the 7th to the 
14th. Matlayed two hundred and twenty-eight and a half 
arpents of stubbles of various size and quality. Weather 
splendid on the 13th and 14th ; thermometer 10° R. above 
zero. The 20th, the day given to plantation hands ; their 
crop amounted to twenty-three hundred barrels of corn, 
and 100 cartloads of pumpkins. Weather very dry on 
the 21st; cutting cane for the mill. Begun grinding on 
the 24th; the juice of stubbles weighs 9° B. Kettles not 
boiling as well as last year, and bagasse roller loose ; a 
new one put in on the 27th. Weather cool and still dry 
on the 30th; thermometer 7° R. above zero ; thermometer 
10° R. above zero on the 31st ; no white frost yet; extra- 
ordinary weather for the season. 

November. One hundred hogsheads of sugar made the 
1st. Weather warm and cloudy, and a trifling rain on 
the 3d, before daybreak. Weather changing to cold, with 
a very strong northwest wind during the whole day of 
the 6th. On the 7th light frost; thermometer 3° R. above 



[ 65 1 

zero; light frost and weather foggy on the 8th; ther- 
mometer 2^° R. above zero. The drought is such that 
some planters have no water in their sugar house ponds. 
Thermometer 2i** R. above zero on the 9th ; east wind on 
the 10th. Two hundred hogsheads of sugar made the 
11th. Weather warm, but wind shifting north, late in 
the afternoon. Cane planted at six and twelve feet, yield- 
ing one and a half hogsheads per arpent; the cane juice 
weighing from 9 to 9i° B. Heavy rain on the night of 
the 14th, and on the morning of the 15th ; fair on the 
16th ; light frost on the 18th. On the 18th, at midday, 
three hundred hogsheads of sugar made ; the cane juice, 
thus far, as rich as that of 1830 and 1838, and weighing 
from 9 to 10° B. Rain the whole day on the 22d ; 
hands ordered to their cabins in the afternoon. Stopped 
grinding on the 23d to clean boilers. On the 23d a little 
rain ; weather cloudy, and changing to cold on the 24th; 
cloudy and cold on the 25th ; thermometer 2'^ R. above 
zero. At 4 h. p. m., on the 26th, four hundred hogsheads 
of sugar made. Thermometer, on the same day, 2° R. 
below zero, with a little rain in the evening ; rain during 
night, on the 27th ; still raining in the morning, and ther- 
mometer zero R. Peach trees were in blossom on the 
;25th. Rain on the 28th, and during night of the 29th. 
Weather still cloudy, but clears off on the 30th. 

December. Weather cloudy in the morning and fair in 
the afternoon, on the 1st ; still cloudy on the 2d, but 
weather |;clears off with northwest wind at 10 h. A. m.; 
thermometer zero on the 3d ; heavy white frost, and 
thermometer zero on the 4th. Five hundred hogsheads of 
sugar made. White frost and thermometer 1° R. above 
zero on the 5th, and weather very threatening at 10 h. 
A. M.; heavy rain during the night, which continued to 
fall on the 6th in the morning; too much water on the 
ground to cut the sixty-three arpents of cane which had 
been entirely flooded on the 18th of July, and partially 
so on the 19th of July ; these cane, as already mentioned, 
yielded two and one-quarter hogsheads to the arpent. 



[ 66] 

Weather fine on the 7th. On the 8th, same weather,, 
with colder wind; very heavy frost, thermometer 1^° 
R. below zero on the 9th. Small Otah'ity cane killed to 
the ground. The sixty-three arpents of cane flooded, 
yielded one hundred and forty-five hogsheads. Weather 
cloudy and mild on the 11th; a trifling rain in the morning, 
fair with northwest wind in the evening. Six hundred, 
hogsheads of sugar made, on the 11th. Thermometer 1° R. 
above zero, and heavy white frost on the 12th; thermome- 
ter 3° R. above zero on the 13th; weather cloudy on the 
14th. and rain at night; heavy white frost, and the thickest 
ice of the present season, on the 15th, though thermometer 
is only 1° R. below zero. Otahity cane are being cut one-half 
of their size for the mill, and ribbon cane two joints below 
the adherent leaves; both ground together produced a 
red sugar; seven hundred hogsheads of sugar made, on 
the 18th, at 6 h. a. m. Heavy rain on the 20th in the 
evening. Through grinding on the 23d at 3 h. p. m.,. 
making a crop of eight hundred hogsheads of sugar. 
Rain on the 24tli ; fair on the 25th ; heavy rain on the 
26th; weather fine and cold on the 27th, 28th and 29th; 
weather cloudy, with a little rain on the 30tii; weather 
fine and cold on the 31st. 

1840. 

January. Ice, and weather bright on the 1st ; ther- 
mometer 3° R. below zero, on the 2d ; ice, with white 
frost, on the 3d ; thermometer again 3° R. below zero ; 
on the 4th weather very mild, such as in spring; very 
cloudy and warm from the 5th to the 8tli ; some rain on 
the 10th in the evening; weather fair on the 11th and 
12th. Ninety-five arpents of cane planted on the 14th. 
Rain before day on the 15th ; ice on the L^jth ; ther- 
mometer 3° R. below zero; ice again on the 17th, 18th 
and 19th ; rain on the 21st during the night, and on the 
22d almost the whole day ; white frost on the 24th ;. 
weather cloudy on the 27th and 28th. 

February. Drizzling cold rain on the 1st ; ice on the 
3d; thermometer 2*° R. below zero; ice again on the 



L67 ] 

4th ; weather cloudy on the 5th. Through planting: 
cane on the 6th (three hundred and five arpents). River 
rose a foot on the 1st, but then remains at a stand. Rain^ 
on the 6th and 7th ; a deluge on the. 8th ; rain on the, 
16th. Through lining or replacing stubbles on the 20th., 
River rising. Ninety-five cords of drift wood were made 
during the rise. Weather warm since a week. Begun 
plowing plant cane on the 20th. Weather fair balance 
of the month. 

March. On the 1st river still rising ; drift wood is 
plentiful. A little rain on the 2d. River up to the base^ 
of the levee on the 8th. Plowed and hoed plant cane on 
the 11th; begun plowing stubbles on the 12th. Weather 
too dry. Orange trees are in blossom. Through refining 
last }'ear's crop, and also sugar bought of S. Roman, on 
the 7th. Weather very warm and dry since the 16th of 
February, for rain of 2d March was altogether insufiicieiA; 
rain on the 20th, and a little on the 21st; crevasse at 
McCutchon's on the 21st ; an overflooding rain on the 
22d. All the plant cane marking the row; stubbles, gen- 
erally, are not up. Rain on the 24th in the evening; 
white frost on the 25th. Planters unable to close the 
crevasse at McCutchon's ; the engineer of the Nashville 
Railroad achieved the end. Weather again very warm ; 
rain on the 29th in the evening ; white frost on the 
31st. 

April. Rain all night of the 1st ; little rain on the 
2d, and rain on the od ; heavy fog, with rain, in the 
afternoon, on the 4th ; weather very warm on the 5th y; 
rain on the 7th and 12th. Some plant cane have suck- 
ered ; only stubbles, which were lined, mark the row. A 
shower on the 15th, which does not interrupt work. A. 
portion of the stubbles worked for the second time on the 
18th, and all plant cane worked for the third time on 
the 28th. The largest plant cane measure four feet, with 
stretched leaves. River rising since a few days. Drought 
prevailing on the 30th. 

May. Weather cloudy on the 3d, and trifling rain ia« 



[68 1 

the evening ; the heat is great, thermometer being 23° 
R. above zero, at 9 h. r. m. All the stubbles worked for 
the second time, but some still require more dirt. Drought 
still prevailing. Rain on the 8th before day-break, which 
only wets ground in mellow condition. Every evening 
at 9 h. p. M., thermometer generally 23° R. above zero. 
Spring is so early that hay grass is already in seed. 
Northwest wind on the 9th ; thermometer 9° R. above 
izero ; weather quite cold on the 10th, at 5i o'clock in the 
morning; very light rain on the 15th, which may be 
sufficient to cause peas, planted during the drought, to 
sprout. All plant cane worked, for the fourth time, 
with harrow and hoe, on the 20th. Weather having 
been warm and cloudy since the 16th, rain should have 
been expected, but on the 20th wind blows from the 
north, and weather dry. Stubbles plowed and hoed for 
■the third time, on the 23d. River fell five inches. 
Weather still dry on the 25th. Size of cane on the 25th, 
with leaves : Ribbon plant cane from four feet four inches 
to five feet five inches, and in some spots five feet nine 
inches, but in land where coco grass is thick, they only 
measure three feet seven inches ; Otah'ity and Creole 
plant cane are four feet four inches ; stubbles of ribbon 
cane, in new laud, are five feet, whilst in old ground the 
size and stand of stubbles are very irregular ; they 
measure about four feet ; stubbles of Creole cane are four 
feet four inches ; canes are as forward as in 1830, 1827 
and 1828. Corn is poor, owing to the drought, and much 
of it will have to be replanted. Though spring is very 
forward, no very great heat has yet been felt. Partial 
rain on the 25th, which wets tolerably the ground in 
plant cane. Weeding pastures on the 27th and 28th. 
Begun working plant cane, for the fitth time, on the 
30th. River rose again, and is nearly on a level with 
the city wharves on the 31st. 

June, Weather still very dry on the 1st, and very 
warm on the 4th and 5th. Through working plant cane 
ifor the fifth time, on the 0th. Rain at breakfast time, 



[69 ] 

and also in the evening. Begun hoeing stubbles, for the- 
fourth time, on the 6th. A good rain fell on lower side 
of the plantation the 9th. Through weeding stubbles, 
for the fourth time, the 13th, and through hauling twelve 
hundred cords of wood into back pasture. Trifling rain 
on the 17th at noon, and then rain during the whole 
night ; rain during the whole day on the 18th, being the 
first rain since April 12th, which saturates the ground 
well, and interrupts work ; rain all day and all night on 
the 19th ; rain again on the 20th, 21st and 22d. Such 
an uninterrupted rain as the last is very uncommon in 
summer. River fell fifteen inches from the 21st to the 
28th. Cane are remarkably large and fine. Extreme 
heat since two days ; thermometer 25° R. above zero at 
10 h. p. M. on the 30th, like on the 10th June, 1837., 
This seldom happens. 

July. Cane are remarkably large and fine, except in 
coco land. North wind on the 2d. Cane jointed from 
three feet five inches to three feet eleven inches, on the 
3d ; they never were so large, except in 1827 and 1828. 
Weather warm on the 3d. Through laying-by plant can& 
on the 4th. Through plowing stubbles on the 9th and 
through hoeing them on the 15th. Heavy rain, with 
thunder on the 15th ; a little rain on the 18th, and two 
showers on the 19th. Cane, which measured three feet 
eleven inches on the 3d, measure six feet one inch in 
joints on the 28th, having grown twenty-six inches in 
twenty-five days. A light rain on the 30th. Size in 
joints, of sample cane, on the 31st : Y. Aime's cane, seven 
feet four inches ; J. T. Roman's, six feet six inches ; J. 
B. Armant's and Sostherne Romain's six feet three inches. 

August. Weeding pastures and cleaning ditches and 
canals on the 3d. Rain on the 8th, with wind, which 
blows down some cane ; heavy rain on the 11th ; a little 
rain on the 12th, and heavy rain on the 14th, 16th and 
17th ; were chopping during this time ; strong wind, with 
rain, on the 24th. Through chopping for next year, 
(one thousand cords), on the 27th. Rain on the 29th, 
which does not interrupt the hauling of wood. 



L70 ] 

Septemher. Gathering corn on the 1st ; the yield, 
thus far, is poor. Threatening weather on the 2d ; heavy 
shower on the 11th, in the afternoon. Through hauling 
wood on the 13th. North wind on the 11th and 12th; 
thermometer 14° R. above zero. Light rain on the 17th ; 
cloudy all day on the 18th ; northwest wind, with very 
fair weather on the 19th and 20th ; thermometer 11° R. 
above zero. Through storing hay on the 21st. Through 
gathering corn on the 22d, (three thousand four hundred 
barrels). Rain before day, on the 23d, lasting all day, 
with violent wind, which blew down one hundred arpents 
of cane. Begun gathering corn of plantation hands on 
the 28th. Rain on the 29th, at 5 h. p. m., interferring 
with the picking of corn ; fog every morning since a week. 

October. On the 1st, little rain at midday, but from 
4 o'clock in the afternoon to 4 o'clock in the next morn- 
ing, it rained excessively ; rain again poured down in tor- 
rents from 9 h. a. m. to 11 h. A. m., completely overflood- 
ing the ground ; this rain was even heavier than that of 
16th May, 1823 ; north wind on the 4th, thermometer in 
the morning, 8J° R. above zero, and on the following day, 
11° R. above zero. Weather cloudy on the 6th. On 
the 7th, working public road. Begun matlaying cane on 
the 8th. Weather quite warm. With four carts hauled 
three thousand six hundred barrels of coal in seven and a 
half days, from the river to the sugar house. On the 
15th, weather still very warm ; thermometer, 22 P R. 
above zero, at 9 o'clock in the evening. Through mat- 
laying cane on the 18th. Begun cutting Otalnty stubbles 
for the mill, on the 20th ; the smallest of these cane be- 
ing matlayed, and the largest sent to the mill ; thus, the 
forty arpents jdelded only eight hogsheads of sugar. 
Light white frost, and cold northwest wind on the 25th ; 
thermometer 3° R. above zero. Cane juice of stubbles 
weighs 8i° B. and making fifteen hogsheads per twenty- 
four hours. White frost on the 26th; thermometer 3° R. 
above zero ; weather fine ; rain on the 28th, from 2 
o'clock in the morning until 11 o'clock A. m. Fifty ar- 



• [ 71 ] 

pents of stubbles yielded sixty-two hogsheads. Ther- 
mometer 4° R. above zero on the 29th. White frost on the 
■30th; thermometer 4° R. above zero. 

Novemher. On the 1st, at 2 o'clock p. M., one hundred 
find four hogsheads of sugar made. Weather cloudy, and 
east wind on the 2d. The juice of stubbles which 
weighed from 9 to 10° B. last year, now only weighs 
from 7i to 8° B., but the yield, however, is splendid. 
Extremely warm on the 4th and 5th ; north wind on the 
7th and 8th ; a sprinkle on the 10th ; weather fine on 
the 11th and 12th ; cloudy on the 13th, and fair on the 
14th. On the 16th, at midday, three hundred hogsheads 
of sugar made from stubbles only, except ten hogsheads; 
but sixty arpents of stubbles are yet left. Northwest 
wind on the 18th. Thermometer 1° R. above zero on 
the 19th; on the 20th, thermometer 3J° R. above zero. 
Some cane on the carrier measure seven feet ten inches, 
and cane tops in the rear reported frozen. Rain on the 
21st ; cold west wind in the morning and shifting to the 
north at midday on the 22d. Cane being so large and 
thick, only fifty-five arpents could be windrowed with a 
large force on the 22d and 23d. Weather cold on the 
^3d; thermometer H° R. below zero ; rain on the 24th, 
followed by north wind, at noon ; cloudy on the 25th and 
thermometer li° R. above zero; the clouds disappear 
at midday, and weather very cold in the evening; 
thermometer zero, at 8 h. p. m.; on the 26th, thermom- 
eter 3i° R. below zero. Ice on the ground half an inch 
thick ; being the heaviest freeze ever known to happen 
in November. Windrowed twenty arpents of cane on 
the 26th. Resumed grinding in the evening, with four 
hundred and twelve hogsheads of sugar made. Twelve 
arpents of Creole cane yielded sixteen hogsheads ; forty- 
six arpents of ribbon cane gave one hundred and ten 
hogsheads. Ice and very heavy white frost on the 27th; 
thermometer l2° R. below zero; ice and white frost 
again on the 28th. Weather fine. An orange measuring 
twelve and a half inches in circumference. Cloudy and 



L 72 ] , 

cold weather follows, which is suitable for frozen cane. 
On the 29th, windrowed thirteen arpents of cane for an 
experiment ; the operation was a bad one ; it was too 
late. 

December. Trifling rain on the 3d. Weather cloudy 
and cold on the 4th and 5th ; thermometer zero R. On, 
the 6th, weather fine ; weather mild on the 9th, and 
especially so on the 10th. Six hundred ho^^sheads of 
sugar made, the 10th, at 10 o'clock p. m. Little rain on 
the 11th; fair weather on the 12th and 15th. Fifty-one 
arpents of cane gave one hundred and twenty-two hogs- 
heads, and later, twentj7-four arpents, forty-five hogs- 
heads only ; cane producing fine sugar by being cut two 
joints below the adherent leaves, on the loth. With 
cane windrowed three days after the ice, some planters 
make no sugar. Very fine sugar made here, with cane 
windrowed on the 29th November, but by cuttins: them 
much lower than the last cane left standing; cane killed to 
the ground ought never to be windrowed. Heav}'' frost 
on the 18th ; up to date, there has not been enough rain 
to spoil roads, nor to interfere with grinding. Seven hun- 
dred hogsheads of sugar made, the 17th at midday. 
Cold, misty rain all day on the 20th; very fair weather 
on the 21st and 22d ; cloudy and cold on the 23d ; on 
the 24th, 25th and 26th, splendid weather for grinding; 
the drought having been so great in December, that 
planters were making preparations to haul water to 
sugar-house ponds, but fortunately rain fell on the 30th 
and 31st. Through grinding on the 1st of January, 
1841, at 7* o'clock A. m., having made a crop of nine 
hundred and eighteen hogsheads of sugar, but canes not 
ground their full size. 

1841. 

January. Weather fair on the 1st, 2d and 3d ; light 
rain on the 4th, and heavy rain, all day, on the 5th and 
6th; weather cloudy on the 7th, in the afternoon; 
little rain in the morning and evening on the 8th ; rain on 
the 9th and 10th ; fair on the 11th ; heavy rain in the eve- 



[ 73 ] 

ning of the 12th ; rain again on 13th, 14th and 16th, andD 
little rain on the 17th; weather fair on the 18th; rain 
on the 19th and 20th ; on the 21st, weather cloudy and 
colder than on the 26th November last; cloudy on the 22d;. 
fair on the 23d ; rain on the 24th ; very fair on the 25th; 
light rain in the morning on the 26th ; on the 27th, very 
light rain, with very dense fog until 11 o'clock A. M, ; a- 
heavy rain on the 28th, at 6 h. A. m.; rain again on the 
29th, 30th, and heavy rain on the 31st, in the evening. 

February. Weather fair on the 1st and 2d ; rain at 
midday, and during the whole night on the 3d; rain on 
the 4th ; rain in the evening and during the whole night 
on the 6th ; cloudy on the 7th and 8th, though the wind 
is north; wind always north, but weather still cloudy. 
Ice on the 12th ; weather very fine ; first very bright sun 
since January 2d. River even with the bank. Ice on the 
13th; thermometer 3° R. below zero. Ice again on the 
15th and 16th ; thermometer 1° R. below zero. Weather 
spoiling, on the 16th ; northwest wind on the 17th ;. 
weather cloudy on the 21st, with trifling rain in the eve- 
ning, and planting not interrupted ; fair on the 22d, etc.,. 
but weather cloudy again on the 25th and 26th ; rain on 
the 27th. 

March. Rain on the 1st at 8 A. M., which interrupts 
planting; rain and hail before daybreak on the 2d. 
Through planting cane on the 7th ; this work here was 
always completed sooner. Begun plowing plant cane on 
the 8th. Rain in the afternoon on the 9th; heavy rain 
on the 10th. Through lining stubbles. River has so 
much fallen that Bayou Plaquemine is not now navigable. 
Very heavy white frost on the 13 th. All plant cane 
plowed and hoed on the 20th. Rain on the 22d in the 
evenino; ; fair on the 23d. Begun plowing stubbles. Rain 
on the 24th ; cloudy on the 25th and 26th ; trifling rain 
and weather warm on the 27th, and through working 
stubbles in new land. Through refining last year's crop 
on the 29th. Rain on the 31st, in the evening. 

April. Very heavy rain on the 1st; a little rain on. 

7 



[ 74 ] 

the 2d, and very heavy rain again on the 3d ; rain, also, 
on the 4th. River has risen, but is not as high as in Feb- 
ruary. Rain on the 5th and 7th. Weather very warm 
on the 8th, 9th and 10th, and still warmer on the 11th. 
All the plant cane and some stubbles in new ground, mark 
the row on the 18th. Through weeding plant cane, for 
the second time, on the 23d. All the stubbles mark the 
row on the 27th. On 29th, strong north wind; plowing 
for peas. Begun working plant cane, for the third time, 
on the 30th. Drought excessive. 

May. White frost reported on the 1st. Begun haul- 
ing wood. Weather very cloudy on the 4th. The ground 
is so hard that one hundred and five hands hardly hoe 
forty arpents of cane per day. Weather very dry. Trans- 
planted corn to fill up gaps, which grew well, notwith- 
standing the drought, and gave a good yield. Through 
weeding two hundred and twenty arpents of plant cane, 
in old ground, for the third time, on the 7th. On the 7th, 
at 11 h. A. M., a pretty good rain fell over the plant cane ; 
as much rain as was wanted fell during the night of the 
9th. Begun plowing and hoeing, for the second time, 
stubbles in old ground on the 14th. River covering most 
of the batture. North wind on the 14th, which affected 
the color of cane. Through working stubbles in old 
ground on the 19th. The corn crop is fine. Begun work- 
ing, for the fourth time, plant cane with the harrow, on 
the 20th, and with the hoe on the 24th. Through weed- 
ing four hundred arpents of pasture. Size of cane, with 
leaves, on the 25th : two hundred and twenty arpents of 
ribbon plant cane measures four feet four inches, and 
eighty arpents also of ribbon plant cane measures only 
three feet, having suffered more from the drought ; stub- 
bles measure from three feet eight inches, to four feet; 
some are four feet ten inches ; but eighty arpents of them 
are very irregular in size and partly thin. Weather mild. 
River stationary. Through working plant cane, for the 
fourth time, on the 27th. Weather threatening rain, and 
later in the day a little rain. Through working stubbles 
in new ground, for the third time, on the 31st. 



[ 75 J 

Jane. Weather exceedingly dry on the 1st. Weed- 
inp; pastures on the 3d and 4th. On the 5th, in the 
morning, weather threatening rain, but it rained only at 
a distance. Begun weeding stubbles, in old ground, for 
the third time, on the 5th. The temperature is pleasant; 
the thermometer has not yet risen above 24° R. Begun 
working plant cane, for the fifth time, on the 10th. The 
drought still continues. A little rain on the 12th ; and 
on the 13th, rain enough to wet the ground three inches 
deep. Peas have come up poorly, owing to drought, and 
will have to be partially replanted. Thermometer 24° 
B. above zero on the 19th, at 9i p. m. Though pasture 
ponds have been cleaned three times, yet the stock has 
again to be watered at the river on the 23d. Through 
hauling one thousand four hundred and fifty cords of 
wood into back pasture on the 23d. North wind on the 
23d; thermometer 15° R. above zero, at 8i h. A. m.; cool 
enough to close doors, and to use covering in the morn- 
ing, like on the 7th August, 1831, and 26th July, 1835. 
Pea vines are a failure this year ; weeded some on the 
^4th and 25th. Layed-by stubbles, in new ground, on 
the 26th; the ground is very dry, the drought having 
lasted forty-nine days. Rain on the 29th and 30th. 

July. Replanting peas, in missing places, in one hun- 
dred and seventy-four arpents, on the 1st. Begun laying- 
by plant cane on the 2d in the afternoon; some cane, 
though of fine color, are still small on the 6th. Very 
light shower, in front, on the 12th ; the heat excessive 
on the 14th; thermometer 24^° R. above zero, at 9i p. 
M.; wind, and pretty heavy rain for a moment, on the 
15th, at 82 h. p. M.; this rain is altogether insuffi- 
cient ; thermometer 24° R. above zero, on the 16th, at 
10 h. p. M. ; the heat is great ; thermometer 27° R. above 
izero on the 17th; the heat is intense; thermometer 25° 
R. above zero, at 91 h. p. m, on the 18th ; a partial rain 
on the 19th, wetting the ground from two to three inches 
•deep; cutting weeds on batture; a beneficial shower, 
for half an hour, on the 27th ; making corn fodder ; 



L 76 ] 

quite heavy rain on the 30th, at 10 o'clock P. m., the 
heaviest since June 30th of this year. 

August. North wind on the 1st. Gathered, hauled 
and stored nineteen cartloads of corn fodder. Size of plant 
cane on the 1st : ribbon plant measure from four feet six 
inches to five feet ten inches, in joints ; cane which now 
measure five feet, gave only IJ hogsheads to the arpent, 
whilst, in 1839, about the same time, cane measuring four 
feet eleven inches yielded 2i hogsheads to the arpent. It 
is impossible to foretell the yield of cane. Partial rain 
on the 5th ; heavy rain on the 16th on the extreme lower 
line of plantation, and of no benefit to this crop. Fine 
weather for a whole week; making corn fodder. A rain 
in the forenoon, on the 20th; alight rain on the 22dy 
rain on the ood and 24th ; quite heavy rain on the 25th;. 
rain, which fills up the ditches, on the 29th. Nine hun- 
dred cords of wood chopped for next year. Weeding pas- 
tures on the 31st with one hundred hands, and from forty 
to forty-five hands, on an average, were employed from, 
the 4th of August to the 1st of September in clearing 
pastures of weeds. 

Septemher. Very light rain on the 3d. Plant cane 
which, on the 1st of August measured five feet, are seven 
feet six inches on the 4th of September, and stubbles, 
during the same interval, grew from five feet five inches- 
to seven feet three and a half inches. Rain on the 6th 
and 7th. Gathering corn on the 13th, 14th, and on the 
15th until midday. Begun cutting hay in the afternoon. 
Weather cloudy, and some rain on the 21st. Northwest 
wind on the 2od ; thermometer 8i° R. above zero; rain 
during night of the 26th, though weather was ver}^ fine 
the previous evening. Only twenty-four cartloads of hay 
could be stored on that day, and more than forty loads 
remained in the field exposed to rain from the 27th to the 
30th. An orange grown here measured fourteen and 
three-fourths inches in circumference. 

Octoher. Resumed hay making on the 1st. North- 
west wind on the 2d; thermometer 7i^ R. above zero;, 



L 77 ] 

•on the 4th thermometer 9° R. above zero. Through haul- 
ing and storing hay on the 6th, and the hay exposed to 
rain proved better than expected. On the 8th, through 
gathering corn crop (three thousand six hundred barrels), 
and also fifty-four loads of peas in pods. Begun picking 
<;orn crop of plantation hands on the 8th ; two acres of 
their corn yielded seventy- six barrels; their crop amounted 
to three thousand barrels of corn. Begun to matlay cane 
on the 16th. Very strong north wind on the 22d ; ther- 
mometer 4° R. above zero ; ice of the thickness of a 
twenty-five cent piece on the 23d ; thermometer zero R., 
but through matlaying cane on the same day. The eyes 
of cane unaffected, but tops are frozen. Many planters at 
once wlndrowed cane, they apparently kept well but 
yielded poorly. When cane is only partly frozen it is 
advisable to windrow, but where they are frozen to the 
ground they ought to be left standing to await grinding. 
Thermometer 4° R. above zero on the 24th, and on the 
25th thermometer 2° R. above zero. Weather very dry.. 
Begun cutting cane for the mill on the 26th, Ther- 
mometer 1° R. above zero ; no white frost, however, owing 
to the density of the fog. On the same day, in St. Charles 
parish, the white frost was so thick that it could be taken 
up by handfulls at 7 h. A. m.; this freeze, there, injured 
most of the cane. Weather too dry, and very mild on 
the 29th; on the 30th, rain by intervals during the whole 
day. Begun grinding on the 30th, at 8 h. A. m. Rain, 
by intervals, again on the 31st, during the whole day, 
with wind, which blew down most of the large cane, espe- 
cially in old ground. 

November, Weather fair and mild on the 1st. The 
juice of stubbles, like last year, weighs from 7i to 8° B. 
Weather fine and gradually getting colder every day, 
and on the 5th little ice and white frost, with thermome- 
ter 2° above zero. An orange from this garden measured 
fourteen and three-quarter inches in circumference. 
Another orange, in 1840, weighed one pound, less one- 
half of an ounce ; both were produced by seed from Cuba. 



[78 ] 

Cloudy on the 8th ; southeast wind and weather warm 
on the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th. On the 14th two hun- 
dred and five hogsheads of sugar ah^eady made. Weather 
fine and mild; white frost, with northwest wind, on the 
15th; on the 16th weather foggy; theremometer 3° R. 
above zero ; quite warm and cloudy on the 18th. Three 
hundred and three hogsheads of sugar made on the 22d. 
Weather warm on the 23d. Resumed grinding at 10 h. 
A. M. Rain on the 24th, and very heavy rain during 
the night, the heaviest since the month of March; fair 
on the 25th ; thin ice on the 26th ; on the 27th ther- 
mometer zero R.; ice on the 28th; thermometer li'^ R. 
below zero. Stopped grinding on the 29th, at 2 h. p. m.; 
windrowed sixty-eight arpents of cane on the 28th, and 
fifty arpents on the 29th. Ice three-eighths of an inch 
thick on the 29th, and thermometer 3° R. below zero ; 
ice and verj^ heavy white frost on the 30th ; thermome- 
ter 3° R. below zero, and 1?° below zero at 9 h. P. M. 
Resumed grinding on the 30th, in the morning. 

Decemher. Weather cold and cloudy on the 1st, in the 
morning ; rain in the evening and night ; weather foggy 
on the 2d ; fair on the 3d ; and at midday four hundred 
hogsheads of sugar made. Northwest wind on the 4th 
and 5th; light frost on the 6th and 7th ; quite warm on 
the 9th and 10th. Compelled to cut stubbles, in old 
ground, three joints below the adherent leaves, and large 
plant cane about half of their size, for instance, from 
three to four feet; nevertheless, the extremity of some 
cane thus cut is sour ; grinding together plant cane and 
stubbles ; cane windrowed by neighbors on the 23d Octo- 
ber jielded but little sugar of very inferior quality ; they 
spoiled so fast, because they were altogether green at the 
time of the freeze. Five hundred hogsheads of sugar 
made on the 11th at 6 h. A. M. Through grinding stand- 
ing cane on the 13th, having made good sugar by cutting 
them so very low; some cut one-half and others two 
joints below adherent leaves. Cane windrowed on the 17th 
of November by Choppin & Roman proved worthless ; 



L 79 ] 

cane windrowed here on the 28th and 29th November 
gave very fine sugar by being cut immediately below the 
green leaves; those windrowed on the 30th November 
also gave fine sugar, but by being cut from two to six joints 
below the adherent leaves ; the latter cane were entirely 
frozen when windrowed. Decidedly, cane frozen to the 
ground must not be windrowed; frozen cane standing 
this year, as well as last year, gave more sugar than cane 
windrowed when entirely frozen, and the right time to have 
windrowed was on the 26th and 27th November. Rain 
on the 15th, in the morning; fair on the 16th; ice and 
white frost on the 17th ; thermometer zero R. Six hun- 
dred hogsheads of sugar on the 18th; thermometer zero 
R.; weather mild on the 19th and 20th; light rain on 
the 22d ; cold on the 28d and 24th. Through grinding 
on the 23d, having made a crop of six hundred and sev- 
enty-three hogsheads of sugar. Rain all night on the 
26th, and all day on the 27th and 29th; weather cloudy 
and cold on the 30th. No difference found in canes wind- 
rowed on the 29th or 30th November. 

1842. 

January. Weather cloudy on the 1st, with a little rain 
in the evening; a sprinkle on the 2d, at daybreak; 
weather damp and warm on the 5th, 6th and 7th ; ther- 
mometer 18° R. above zero, within doors, at 6 h. p. m. 
One hundred and twenty arpents of cane already planted 
on the 10th. On the 11th, rain before day, which does 
not interrupt planting; rain almost the whole day on the 
14th; ice and white frost on the 17th ; white frost on the 
r8th ; rain on the 19th, during the night; ice on the 
20th, 21st and 22d; rain on the 25th and 28th. Through 
planting cane on the 29th. Weather cloudy and warm ; 
rain on the 30th ; a little rain on the 31st. 

February. Weather very warm on the 1st and 2d ; 
rain on the 2d and 3d. Orange trees in blossom. Very 
fair on the 4th and 5th ; cloudy on the 6th ; rain at 2 h. 
p. M., and heavy rain in the evening; cold and cloudy on 
the 7th ; thin ice on the 8th; thick ice on the 9th; 



L 80] 

cloudy on the 10th, with a little rain ; rain on the 11th, 
and heavy rain during the night ; a little rain on the 
12th ; fair on the 13th ; cloudy on the 14th, with a 
sprinkle; fair on the 15th ; cloudy on the 16th; rain on 
the 18th; white frost and weather fair on the 20. Begun 
plowing plant cane. Ice on the 22d ; thermometer zero 
R. This cold affected about thirty arpents of stubbles, 
in stiff land, which were pretty well up. Hoeing in 
plant cane on the 23d. Quite warm on the 27th ; rain 
on the 28th. 

March. Weather cloudy and warm, with a light rain, 
on the 1st and 2d ; rain during night on the 3d. Some 
cane mark the row. A neighbor has a full stand of cane 
in some stiff new land. Through plowing plant cane 
on the 10th, and through hoeing them, for the first 
time, on the 11th. Begun plowing stubbles on the 11th, 
and grubbing them on the 12th. Rain before day, and a 
little rain later in the day, on the 13th ; white frost on the 
15th. Through plowing and hoeing stubbles, for the first 
time, on the 23d. Begun working plant cane, for the 
second time, on the 28th. Weather too drv ; rain on the 
30th. 

April.' Trifling rain on the 1st and 2d ; rain on the 
3d and 5th, and a very light rain on the 6th ; rain on 
the 8th, at 8 h. A. m., but weather cleared up beautifully 
during the day; north wind on the 9th. Rain again 
wanted. On some places rain has not fallen since six weeks. 
Through weeding plant cane, for the second time, on the 
8th, and begun working them, for the third time, on the 
13th. A shower on the 15th; rain on the 16th ; rain, 
with north wind, on the 17th ; cold enough for fire in the 
morning. A stand of plant and stubble cane, with some 
suckers in plant cane, on the 17th. Some cane are three 
feet eight inches high, with leaves. Cane are as fine as 
in 1840, at this time. Through working plant cane, for 
the tliird time, on the 23d. and begun working stubbles; 
some stubbles measure four and one-half feet. Rain on 
the 25th, in the evening ; cloudy, with north wind, on 



[ 81 ] 

the 26th ; fair on the 27th ; thermometer S° R. above 
zero. Through weeding stubbles, for the second time, on 
the 30th. 

May. Weather warm and cloudy on the 2d; north 
wind on the 3d, at 10 h. A. m.; weather splendid at midday, 
but still cold enough for fire in the morning, on the 6th. 
River falling. Through weeding plant cane, for the 
fourth time, on the 12th. River still low, on the 14th. 
:Some cane, in coco land, having been hoed deeply during 
the drought, are withering away; in such circum- 
stances it is better to cover coco. Corn is suffering for 
want of rain. Partial rain on the 21st. Through cut- 
ting pisabeds, in pastures, on the 21st. Size of cane, with 
leaves, on the 24th ; plant cane measure from four to 
five and one-half feet, some measuring six feet; size of 
stubbles, dependent upon the quality of soil, and varying 
from four feet seven inches, to five feet. Begun working 
plant cane, for the fifth time, on the 25th. It took seven 
days, with whole gang, to cut, pile up, and burn, every- 
where on the plantation. "Pisabeds.'' 

June. Through weeding plant cane, for the fifth time, 
on the 3d. Stubbles all worked, for the third time, on 
the 4th. Owing to this extremc'drought, stock has again 
to be watered at the river. (A Memoeandum — On the 2d 
June, carefully counted, myself, fifteen hundred cane, on 
a row twenty compasses long, and when cut for grinding, 
all possible care being taken to avoid a mistake, only six 
hundred cane were found and brought to the mill). South- 
west wind, and drought still prevailing. Through haul- 
ing wood into back pasture on the 7th. Cutting weeds 
in pasture, for the second time, on the 10th, llth, 13th 
and 17th. Rain on the 13th, only wetting the ground 
two inches deep. The growth of all cane checked by the 
drought of fifty-three days, which is the most prolonged 
one since 1835 ; cane, however, being large for the season, 
stood the drought better. They were as large on the 22d 
of May, as in 1840 at the same time, but are not now as 
fine. Rain on the 17th, at midday, wetting the ground 



[ 82 ] 

four inches deep; light rain on the 19th ; rain on the 21st, 
and 22d ; the rows are quite wet only on the side from 
whence came the rain and wind ; rain on the 23d and' 
24th; a little rain on the 25th. Weeded all plant cane 
an extra time to cut coco grass, and to destroy the vines. 
Cane, where there is no coco, completely screen the hands. 
One hundred and fifty arpents of stubbles, in old ground, 
also require work again. A cane taken from a former 
potatoe patch, measured, in joints, three feet seven inches, 
on the 30th. 

July. Almost all the cane must be hoed again, on' 
account of coco grass and vines, which grow luxuriantly.. 
Through working stubbles in old ground on the 7th, at 
noon ; forty-six arpents of these cane were plowed in one 
half day, with fifteen ploughs. Through weeding plant 
cane on the 9th, for the last time. Trifling rain on 
the 12th; very light rain on the 14th and loth. Begun, 
anew, to weed pastures on the 19th. Trifling rain 
on the 23d and 24:th; on the 25th, the heaviest rain since 
the 25th of April, which proved insufficient,, because the 
ground was so very dry; rain in front only, on .the 29th. 
Begun chopping wood for next year, on the 30th. Very 
light rain all day, on the 30th, which only partially wet 
the ground. Mr. Edmond Fortier, and oth-er planters of 
St. Charles parish, have had no rain of any advantage 
since the 25th of April. 

Auijust. Size of largest cane, in joints, on this and' 
other neighboring plantations, on the 1st: Plant cane 
measure from four feet, eleven inches, to six feet, five 
inches, and stubbles from six to six feet, four inches. A 
little rain on the 1st, and weather cool enough to close 
doors, in the morning, on the 1st and 2d. On the 3d, 
north wind, and thermometer 16*^ R. above zero; weather 
still cooler on the 4th ; through neglect the thermometer 
was left within doors; on the 5th, thermometer 13° R. 
above zero, such as in 1835 and 1837. Cutting weeds, on 
the 10th, in pastures for the fourth time. Partial shower, 
and very strong wind on the 16th ; a shower, with vio- 



L 83 ] 

lent wind, on the 18th, the heaviest of all showers since- 
spring; but the rain was exceedingly heavy for half an- 
hour; the wind blew down only a small piece of cane. 
Rain on the 19th ; heavy rain on the 20th ; rain from 
midday until evening on the 21st ; rain again on the 22d 
and 24th. From the 26th, dug, in three days, with one- 
hundred and twenty hands, a canal ten arpents long, ten 
feet wide, and three feet deep. On the 30th, dug a pond 
on batture pasture, one hundred and twenty feet long, 
twenty feet wide, and eight feet deep. 

Septemher. Rain from the 1st to the 2d. From the 
3d to the 9th, prepared the ground for an "English 
Park," and dug a basin in front of dwelling house, with 
over one hundred and twenty hands. Through hauling 
one thousand two hundred and eighty cords of wood for 
kettles, on the 11th. Pretty good rain on the 11th ; rain 
on the 12th and loth. Cutting weeds in pastures and om 
roads, with a full force, on the 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 
16th. Very heavy rain on 16th ; still the heaviest rain 
of the year; rain on the 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st and 
22d. Making hay, on roads, on the 23d. A light 
rain on the 23d ; fair on the 24th ; cloudy on the 25th^ 
26th and 27th ; weather fair, with east wind, on the 
28th, 

Octoher. Very light rain on the 5th. Begun mat- 
laying cane. Through hauling wood to sugar house, on the 
7th. Cloudy and warm on the 8th ; little rain on the 
9th, the wind shifting to the north; very fair on the 
10th ; thermometer 74*^ R. above zero. Through gather- 
ing corn on the 10th (four thousand barrels). Ther- 
mometer lh° R. above zero, on the 11th. Gathering the 
corn crop of plantation hands, on 12th, 13th, 14th and" 
15th. Some hands raised thirty-six barrels of corn to 
the arpent. Weather changing to cold, with a strong 
northwest wind, on the 14th ; thermometer 6° R. above 
zero, on the 15th. Matlayed cane from the 18th to the 
23d. A little rain on the 23d, and also on the 24th, before- 
day-break; north wind on the 25th; thermometer 3° R.. 



[ 84 ] 

above zero, on the 26th; first white frost; white frost 
until 7 h. A.M. on the 27th ; thermometer 4?° above 
zero. Begun grinding, atll? h. p. m. on the 27th. From 
the 27th to the 31st, light white frost every morning. 

November. Weather fine on the 1st ; afterwards, wea- 
ther rather warm; rain on the 4th; rain almost the 
whole day on the 5th; little rain on the 6th, in the morning; 
fair on the 7th, 8th and 9th ; cloudy on the 10th ; heavy 
rain on the 11th, until 10 h. p. m.; fair on the 12th. 
Two hundred hogsheads of* sugar made. Cloudy on the 
13th ; rain on the 14th, 15th and 16th ; little rain on 
the 17th, with great heat until 10 h. A. M., at which time 
the wind shifted to the north, with a very light, but cold 
showery rain,, by intervals, and in the evening ther- 
mometer 3J° R. above zero; on the 18th thermometer 1° 
R. below zero. Up to this date, not even cane leaves 
were affected by cold. Thermometer on the 17th, 2° R. 
below zero. Windrowed cane from the 19th to the 21st ; 
the eyes of cane are killed, but the cane itself is frozen 
only about one joint below the sheathing leaves, where 
they were planted at four feet ; cane planted at eight feet 
have been entirely frozen ; only from two to three joints 
were frost bitten, of cane windrowed, on the 19th ; those 
windrowed on the 20th, are thrccj-fourths affected ; but 
cane at four feet, windrowed on the 21st, are about half 
affected by the ice ; windrowed again thirty-two arpents 
of cane, with the hope that they are not yet too much 
frozen. This year windrowed cane proved better than 
standing cane, because when windrowed, they were less 
affected by ice than in 1840 and 1841, at which time, 
cane were so frosted as to split by action of the ice, and 
to lose their juice before being ground. On the 20th, 
thermometer 1° R. below zero ; thermometer 3*^ R. above 
zero, on the 21st. Three hundred and seven hogsheads 
of sugar made. Resumed grinding on the 22d. The 
sugar being made is fine. Rain during night, on the 23d; 
fair on the 24th ; cloudy on the 25th, but weather clears 
•off without rain ; fair on the 20th ; cloudy on the 27th ; 



[85] 

a sprinkle on the 28th. On the 29th making red sugar, 
though cane are cut two joints below the adherent leaves. 

December. On the 2d making fine sugar from the same 
cut of cane, those previously ground having been, more 
or less, blown down by wind. White frost on the 1st 
and 2d ; weather warm on the 5th, 6th and 7th. Five 
hundred hogsheads of sugar made on the 7th at 4 p. m.; 
only sixty-three arpents more to grind of Standing cane. 
Rain during night on the 8th ; cold and datnp on the 9th ; 
rain on the 10th ; cold on the 11th, and fair on the 12th; ice 
on the 13th ; thermometer 1° R. below zero ; ice on the 
14th ; thermometer 1J° below zero. Through grinding 
standing cane on the 14th ; sixty-three arpents of these 
cane yielded seventy-nine hogsheads of sugar. Sixteen 
arpents of windrowed cane did better, because they had 
not been affected by ice of oi° below zero, as was the 
case in 1840 and 1841. Six hundred hogsheads of sugar 
made on the 14th at midnight. Ice on the loth. Canewind- 
rowed on the 19th November are still sweet and juicy, in 
most of lower joints. Rain on the 20th in the morning ; 
weather clears off" in the afternoon; fair on the 21st; 
cloudy on the 22d ; weather fine on the 23d ; thermome- 
ter ll*^ below zero. On the 23d, at 5 h. a. m., seven hun- 
dred hogsheads of sugar made, having lost twenty-four 
hours to repair broken crown wheel; cane juice weighing 
9° B., but since three days it is imposssble to clarify 
the juice, and therefore making red sugar. Ice on the 
24th ; thermometer li° R. below zero. Through grind- 
ing on the 25th at 5 p. m., having made a crop of seven 
hundred and thirty-six hogsheads of sugar. A light rain 
on the 29th; weather fine on the 30th and 31st; ther- 
mometer zero R. 

1843. 

January. 1st, fair ; cloudy on the 2d, and light rain 
in the evening, of no effect. Begun planting on the 2d, 
Cloudy on the 3d, in the morning, but fair at 10 o'clock;, 
white frost on the 4th ; rain on the 7th ; ice on the 8th ;. 
a heavy rain on the 9th, in the afternoon, being the only 



[ 86] 

Tain since the 10th of December, wetting the ground ; 
white frost on the 10th and 11th ; ice on the 12th ; ice 
on the 13th; thermometer 1S° R. below zero; ice on the 
14th ; thermometer 2° R. below zero ; ice on the loth ; 
weather cloudy on the 17th., 18th, 19th and 20th. On 
the 19th and 20th planted thirty-five arpents of cane. 
On the 23d, weather dry. Burnt cane leaves in the field 
on the 23d, 24th and 25th ; weather warm, and rain on the 
29 th. Two hundred and thirty-eight arpents planted on the 
30th and cross-ditches dyg. 

Fehruary. 1st, a very strong north wind since yes- 
terday ; thermometer 2° R. below zero ; on the 2d, ther- 
mometer 3° R. below zero, but late in the evening ther- 
mometer 2° R. below zero in the hot-houses for exotic 
plants, and 3° R. below zero on the outside. Eighty 
cords of wood purposely made to heat hot houses. Weather 
very cloudy, with south wind on the 6th. Through 
planting on the 7th, at midday, and begun first plowing 
in plant cane. A little rain in the evening; again a 
sprinkle on the 8th ; rain and thunder on the 10th ; fair 
on the 11th. Begun to hoe plant cane. Rain, with 
thunder, on the 13th and 14th at 3i h. P. M.; the rain 
comes from the northwest ; ice on the 15th ; thermometer 
3° R. below zero, with very cold wind ; on the 16th 
thermometer 3° R. below zero, the same as on the 2d 
ult. 17th working ditches; ice; thermometer 1J° R. 
below zero. Grubbed forty arpents of stubbles on the 
18th. Rain on the 19th ; cloudy on the 22d and 23d ; 
warm on the 24th ; 25th fair; 26th white frost; 28th 
through plowing and hoeing plant cane, for the first 
time. 

March. 1st, begun working stubbles with large plows; 
shaved a piece of stubbles with the hoe to compare them 
with those grubbed. Hauling river sand with six carts 
for the alleys of the park. Through refining last year's 
crop on the 2d. A little rain on the 4th and 7th ; 
weather foggy and very damp ; 10th, wind north, but 
with cloudy sky ; 15th, rain in the evening ; north wind 



187] 

rat about 8 h. p. m., with sleet during night ; on the l6th 
thermometer 2h° R. below zero; the ice injures stubbles 
shaved; just such a cold as that of the 17th March, 1832 ; 
ice on the 17th ; thermometer li° R. below zero ; strong 
wind and ice on the 18th ;• thermometer 1J° R. below 
zero ; some ice, in the shade, not melted, from the 16th 
to the 18th; strong wind on the 19th; thermometer on 
the 20th 1° R. above zero, with cloudy weather in the 
afternoon and light rain on the 21st; fair on the 22d and 
23d; 24th, a little rain ; cloudy and cold; thermometer 
3° R. above zero ; the present month of March is the 
coldest known. Through plowing stubbles and nearly 
through hoeing them on the 24th ; rain on the 25th ; a 
little rain on the 26th, with drizzling fog; wind north, 
in the evening; cold northwest wind on the 28th ; ther- 
mometer 1° R. above zero ; white frost on the 29th until 
7 h. A. M,; thermometer 2i° R. above zero; cloudy on the 
30th, with very heavy rain and thunder at 11 h. A. m.; 
pretty fair on the 31st. 

April. 1st, fair ; 2d, weather cloudy and then rain ; 
3d, fair and warm ; 4th, foggy and warm ; 5th, rain be- 
fore day. Begun hoeing plant cane on the 10th, for the 
second time. Weather so dense and misty, that steam- 
boats cannot be seen at short distance. Rain on the 18th 
and 19th ; north wind on the 25th and 30th. ' 

May. 1st, cane, generally, marking the row. Stub- 
bles shaved after the ice, are better than the others, and 
are thicker on some ground than the plant cane of the year 
previous. Through weeding plant cane, for the third 
time, on the 5th, and all stubbles weeded, for the second 
time, on the 11th. Begun hauling wood on the lltli, to 
back pasture. Begun hoeing plant cane on the 12th, and 
through the work on the 20th. Rain on the 21st, in the 
evening, wetting ground in plant cane three to four inches, 
and elsewhere, sufficiently to sow peas. Gut weeds on 
roads and in pastures, etc., on the 23d, 24th, 25th and 
26th. The greater portion of plant cane is thin and 
hardly three feet; some are from three feet three inches 



[88 ] 

to four feet. The size of stubbles varying from three feet 
to three feet six inches ; few are four feet six inches. 
Plant cane is not hirger than in 1835 and 1838 ; but 
stubbles are somewhat better ; the prospect is poor, though 
rain may yet improve the crop. Through weeding stub- 
bles on the 30th. North wind; cold enough for a winter 
coat. 

June. 2d, begun to hoe plant cane, for the fifth 
time, and through hoeing them on the 9th. Rain the 
whole day on the 10th. after fifty-three days drought, 
such as in 1835 and 1842. In 1828, the best crop year, 
excessive drought prevailed at three difierent times; first, 
from the 27th of March to the 2d of May; second, from the 
2d of May to the 19th of June ; and lastly, from the 19th 
of June to the 28th of July. Rain fell only three times 
from the 27th of March to the 28th of Jul}'-, but cane 
then were large, and August was rainy. On the 10th,' 
after the rain, water in sugar house pond was so muddy, 
that the pond had to be dried, and water brought during 
three days in barrels, to melt sugar for refinery. Rain, 
more or less during the day, on the 11th, 12th, 13th, 
loth, 17th, 18th, 19th and 21st. River still rising fast; 
a rise, at this time, is more than unusual, and must be 
due to extreme cold weather, late in the spring, in the 
north. In 1840, the river rose until the 20th of June, 
but on the 25th, it had alreadj' fallen fifteen inches. In 
1837 the river rose up to the bank on the 22d of July ; 
the fall began only on the 7th of August, but it had 
never risen higher than the banks. Rain on the 23d 
and 24th ; on the 25th, rain the whole day ; rain again 
on the 26th and 27th. Resumed plowing and hoeing 
on the 30th. The color of plant cane is very good. 

Jahj. 1st, heavy Tain ; 2d, rain. Cut down the 
pissabed, for the third time, on the 2d and 3d. Light rain 
on the 3d ; wind north on the 4th ; weather fair. Weed- 
ing peas on the 4th with ninety hoes, operation equiva- 
lent to two days work. Begun plowing in stubbles 
standing at six and twelve feet, on the 5th. The weather 



[ 89 ] 

has not persisted fair, with an uncertain north wind, as a 
few drops of rain fell, but not interfering with the work 
of hoeing ; rain on the 6th not preventing plowing ; a 
heavy rain on the 7th in the morning. Through with the 
cutting of pissabed in pastures. 8th, rain; 9th, rain, stop- 
ping the plows. Hoes were put to earth up and to weed 
lightly, throwing the grass near cane and covering it up. 
Generally the cane here are of such a size as to screen 
the plowmen. In cuts where there is hay, caterpillars 
have devoured cane leaves. 13th, river has fallen one 
foot since three days. Resumed hauling wood on the 
14th. No wood hauled since the 12tli of June. 18th, 
rain at midday, which does not interfere with plowing or 
hoeing; but on the 19th at 2 h. A. m., rain fell until 
morning; in the afternoon, heavy rain with thunder, 
wetting in the rear of plantation only ; rain on the 20th, 
much heavier than that of yesterday. Six hundred 
loaves of sugar spoiled by leaks, owing to bad troughs. 
On the 22d, in the morning, bedded up some cane in wet 
ground with the hoe, without interfering with the roots ; 
this work does not injure them now, but earlier, the work 
would have been injurious, as the cane and their roots 
are yet weak in spring. Through laying-by plant cane 
on the 26th. In 1835, plant cane was laid-by on the 
16th, and a neighbor got through laying-by only on the 
20th of August. Cane here have never been laid-by so 
late; for, in 1835, notwithstanding their size, and the 
rains from the 10th of June to the 1st of September, 
they were sooner laid-by. Rain on the 27th, 28th and 
29th. Plowing done in wet ground. Rain on the oOth 
and 31st. 

August. 1st, rain; useless attempt to ridge up cane 
with the hoe, the ground being too wet. Cane, generally, 
very small, averaging from three feet five inches to three 
feet ten inches. Some sample of plant cane from a neigh- 
bor, measured five feet one and one-half inch, and a stub- 
ble five feet three inches, from new ground. The light 
drizzle on the 1st, without thunder or wind, forewarns 
almost a hurricane, such as in August, 1837; north wind 



L 90] 

on the 2d, thermometer 19° R. above zero ; very light 
rain on the 5th ; rain on the 7th. Through plowing 
on the 8th; rain on the 8th, 9th, 11th and 12th. Hoeing 
in wet ground since a month. On account of the coco 
grass, worked an extra time, twenty-four arpents of plant 
cane and some stubble ; the work was useless. A little 
rain on the 15th ; partial shower on the 16th, with wind. 
Cutting weeds in hay ground on the 18th, 19th and 2 1st. 
23d, levelling ground for English Park. 31st, light and 
partial rain. 

September. 2d, rain enough to stop hauling wood ; 3d, 
rain. Certain cane measuring three feet, ten inches on 
the 1st of August, are, on the 1st of September, five feet 
seven inches, showing a growth of twenty-one inches only 
in thirty-one days ; the ordinary growth, at this season, 
is from twenty-eight to thirty inches in one month ; even 
in 1835, cane grew twenty-seven inches in thirty-one 
days. Begun digging an artificial lake and the rivulet in 
English Park, on the 4th. On the 5th, rain occasionally. 
Through refining. Completed ornamental pond and rivu- 
let on the 7th. Weather threatening. 8th, rain. Through 
cleaning sugar house ponds in the afternoon. 9th, through 
cutting weeds in pastures, etc. From the 15th, working 
again in levelling ground, etc., in "English Park." A 
light rain on the 17th, 19th and 21st. Strong wind on 
the 21st, in the evening. Saw mill destroyed by fire. 
Through hauling wood on the 22d. Rain on the 23d. 
Begun making hay on the 26th, in the afternoon ; one 
hundred loads of hay cut. Rain on the 28th and 29th. 

October. 1st, rain. Levelling ground for " English 
Park" on the 2d and od. Rain on the 3d, and weather 
quite cool in the morning. Much dangerous fever in the 
parish on opposite bank; physicians pronounce it to be 
yellow fever. 4th, cutting hay with all hands. Rain at 
midday. Begun matlaying, and continued on the 5th 
and 6th ; eighty-four arpents of stubbles of fair stand mat- 
layed in two and a half days. Rain in the morning, and 
several times during the day, on the 7th, preventing the 



[ 91 ] 

saving of hay. Cool wind in the evening. 8th, fine 
northwest wind, thermometer 9° R. above zero, at 6 h. 
A. M. Hav cut on the 26th and 27th, and hauled in on 
the 10th instant, is very poor. Weather threatening on 
the 11th and 12th, but clears off without rain; cold and 
cloudy on the 14th, thermometer 7° R. above zero ; fair 
on the 15th and 16th, and stamped or marked one hun- 
<3red and two calves. On the 15th, begun picking corn of 
plantation hands, and also hauling balance of hay ; from 
ten arpents gathered forty-two loads of hay. Through 
matlaying on the 25th. 26th, cold north wind p. m.; 
■cloudy and quite cold on the 27th A. M., but weather fair 
towards midday. Begun cutting cane for the mill on the 
28th ; thermometer 3° R. above zero ; on the 29th, 
thermometer 6° R. above zero ; 30th, thermometer 10° R. 
above zero. 

November. 2d, begun grinding. Out of the first twenty- 
four arpents cut, the largest cane only are sent to the 
mill, the smaller ones being matlayed ; one hundred and 
twenty cartloads of cane gave only fifteen hogsheads of 
sugar, thirty-seven arpents gave four hundred and thir- 
teen loads, which made thirty-six hogsheads. Cane juice 
is very rich, and the sugar is very fine, though cane had 
never been so backward, and so much rain fell in Sep- 
tember that the hay crop was nearly all lost. On the 
10th, at 1 h. p. M., one hundred and fifteen hogsheads of 
sugar made (fourteen and a half hogsheads per day). 
Light white frost on the 10th. On the 11th, rain, hardly 
enough to lay the dust ; fair on the 12th ; a sprinkle on 
the 14th. Sixty-five arpents of stubbles yield seventy- 
two hogsheads. Rain on the 18th, and weather still 
warm. Eleven hundred and seventy -five cartloads of cane 
(from eighty arpents), gave one hundred and five hogs- 
heads. On the 23d, rained a little. Accident to engine 
on the 24th, resulting in the loss of half a day. On the 
25th, three hundred hogsheads of sugar made at 8 o'clock 
A. M. Cane leaves, potatoe vines, etc, are still green. 
Heavy rain on the 28th ; weather still warm. Stopped 



[ 92 ] 

grinding to clean sugar house boilers. Plants are all 
green jet. A rose, here, called "triomphe du Luxein- 
bourg," measures five and a quarter inches in diameter. 

Decemher. 1st, rain all day; wind northwest; so cold 
a rain that it stops field work; thermometer 1^° R. 
above zero. Four hundred hogsheads of sugar made on 
the 4th at 10 h. p. m. Rain on the 5th, at night ; 6th, 
rain the whole day ; on the 8th and lOth, rain during the 
night; 11th, rain. Roads in a very bad condition, like 
1831. Some cane were blossoming here, and in the 
Attakapas region they eventually blossomed, because 
grinding was postponed. Through cutting cane on the 
12th, at 4 h. p. M., and through rolling on the 13th, at 2 
h. p. M., five hundred and twenty-four hogsheads of sugar 
made. 13th, fair ; cloudy the 15th and 16th ; on the 
17th, summer heat ; heavy rain at night. Cleaning ditches 
on the 18th. Rain on the 19th, 20th and 21st; 24th, 
fair. Begun plowing, 27th, white frost; 28th, white 
frost. Begun planting. 30th, re-building saw mill. To- 
mato plants, leaves of butter beans, and of potatoes are 
still as green as in October. Forty arpents of cane are 
planted, and thirty-three arpents of stubbles are lined or 
replaced. In 1803 canes blossomed like this year, and 
the}' even reached a higher degree of maturity. 

1844. 

January. Rain on the 1st, with thunder, at 6i h. A. 
M.; weather clearing up at noon, with very bright sun ;. 
as warm as in spring; white frost on the 3d, thermometer 
1j° R. above zero; white frost on the 4th, thermometer 
2° R. above zero. River about on a level with batture, and 
flowing in the drainage canal of same. Rain on the 6th, 
not interfering with planting ; rain on the 7th, 8th, 9th, 
10th, 11th and 12th; weather very bad, damp and 
warm ; tolerably fair on the 13th ; rain on the 14th, 
15th and 16th. Molasses hauled out to river banks in 
sleighs on the 16th. Wind shifted to the north, with 
rain ; weather cleared oft' in the evening ; and on the 
17th very fair; thermometer zero on the 18th; ther- 



[ 93 ] 

mometer 1° R. above zero on the 19 th, weather cloudy ; 
rain on the 20th and 21st; light rain on the 23d; again 
a little rain on the 24th, but very fair at noon, with a 
mild northwest wind. Plantation roads are so muddy 
that hauling is almost impracticable. Thermometer 3° 
R. above zero, on the 26th, with light white frost ; a 
light rain on the 31st. Stubbles, in new land, marking 
the row since the 15th, being stubbles in ground where 
canes had been matlayed ; all those stubbles yielded two 
hogsheads to the arpent when they were ground. The 
year 1828 was splendid for canes, though drought pre- 
vailed from the 27th of March to the 2d of April, (thirty- 
five days) ; from the 2d of May to the 19th of June, 
(forty-nine days) ; from the 19th of June to the 28th of 
July, (thirty-nine days), but canes were so forward that 
the drought did not injure their growth. 

February. Through planting on the 3d, at 12 h. M. 
A light rain on the 4th, at day-break. Laclaire Fuselier, 
of Attakapas, and Mr. S. Labranche, on the river coast, 
got through grinding on the 4 th, the canes being as good 
as in October. Stubbles, in new land, which tops had 
been matlayed, are up since some time, and are large. 
Plant cane of Choppin and Roman are up ; their canes 
having been lightly covered. Begun plowing in plant 
cane on the 5th. River up to base of levee. Light rain 
on the 6th, during night. On the 7th, begun scraping 
plant cane. Weather cloudy and cold all day, on the 
8th. Begun hoeing plant cane. The ground is exces- 
sively hard and cloddy. Thus far no cold to injure 
plants ; potatoe vines are yet green, and the tobacco 
plant in blossom. Light white frost on the 11th and 
14th ; weather entirely too dry. Through plowing and 
hoeing plant cane, for the first time, on the 16th; begun 
plowing in stubbles on the 17th. Since the year 1832, 
stubbles here have never been worked so early. Light 
white frost on the 17th ; on the 19th and 20th, weather 
still so exceedingly dry, that the ground, in canes planted 
since January 23d, has not yet settled. Several planters 



[ 94 ] 

have postponed planting on account of drought. A 
trifling rain on the 22d, before day-break. Some stubbles 
mark the row, on the 22d. The river stationary since 
ten days. Drought still prevailing. Begun grubbing 
stubbles on the 29th. River has fallen two feet. 

March. On the 1st, some more stubbles mark the row. 
Through gravelling the alleys of the English Park on 
the 2d, after three weeks carting; a good soaking rain on 
the 2d, before daybreak. Some plant cane mark the row, 
though generally backward, owing to the drought. Pretty 
heavy rain before daybreak on the 7th. River within its 
bed on the beginning of March. Rain on the 14th. 
River rising. Rain on the 15th ; northwest wind on the 
16th ; thermometer 5° R. above zero ; white frost on the 
17th. Through plowing stubbles, for the first time, on 
the 20th. Vegetation is singularly slow in some trees, 
whilst heliotrope and other tender plants are already in 
blossom, and pepper plants, of last year, in full growth ; 
grass is fine in the front pastures. Weather rather cold 
on the 22d, with very strong wind all day ; on the 2.3dy 
thermometer 4° R. above zero; wind only preventing 
frost. Through hoeing stubbles (four hundred and forty 
arpents) on the 23d; white frost on the 24th, until 7i h. 
A. M.; the frost injured no plants, but the color of canes 
is a shade lighter. On the 26th, light rain during night, 
wetting only mellow ground ; weather unusually warm 
on the 27th and 28th; west wind on the 29'th, increasing 
in force towards evening, and shifting to northwest. 
Begun weeding plant cane, for the second time, on the 
20th, at midday. Lost thirty head of cattle, one year 
and two years old, and five oxen. On the 30th all the 
plant cane mark the row, except on very stiff land, on 
which rain was especially wanted to settle the ground 
around the plants. On the 30th thermometer 4° R. above 
zero; weather cold and cloudy, with northwest wind all 
da}', forewarning a freeze on the next day; on the 31st 
white frost; thermometer 1° R. above zero. Only the ex- 
tremity of cane leaves is affected ; more tender plants 
having been covered the day previous. 



[95 J 

April. On the 1st, white frost ; thermometer 4° R. 
above zero. Begun hauling wood into back pasture on 
the 5th. Though the weather has been the mildest thus 
far known, yet plant cane and other plants, such as 
blackberries, Irish potatoes, etc., are less precocious than 
in 1842 ; but stubbles are much more forward than in 
1840 and 1842 ; some marking the rows since February ; 
the last cold somewhat checked their growth. The stub- 
ble yielded two hogsheads to the arpent, except forty 
arpents, which only gave one thousand pounds of sugar 
to the arpent. Through weeding plant cane, for the 
second time, on the 11th, and begun to hoe stubbles, for 
the second time, on the 12th. A few drops of rain on 
the 11th. Through plowing in stubbles, for the second 
time, on the 20th. Very light rain, which lays the dust- 
River fell six inches. Begun plowing and hoeing, in 
plant cane, for the third time, on the 23d. Through 
working plant cane, for the third time, on the 30rti, but 
the weather being so dry, the dirt can only be given to 
the plant with the hoe. 

May. The drought has lasted forty-five days up to 
May 1st. From the 3d to the 6th, cut weeds in pastures. 
River has risen again on the 9th. The drought has 
lasted fifty-four days, and threatens to continue. Unsuc- 
cessful attempt to irrigate three hundred arpents of cane 
with river water by stopping up ditches with dams every 
two arpents ; water spreading too unequally on the 
ground ; the extremity of cut being under one foot of 
water for two days, whilst the other end of some cuts 
was hardly wet. An unprecedented drought of sixty-one 
days on the 16th. On the 20th, through working stub- 
bles for the third time. (Swamps are so dry that they 
can be traveled through on horseback, to a great distance). 
On the 21st, rain by intervals, from 4 h. A. m. to 12 h. M. 
after sixty-five days drought. Plant cane benefitted, but 
rough ground not sufficiently wet. (Red river overflows 
Alexandria); here no water on batture. Size of cane, 
with leaves, on the 24th ; plant cane are from four 



L 96] 

feet to four feet six inches, except seventy arpents, which 
are generally smaller. Stubbles are much better, and 
vary in size from four feet to four feet eight inches ; some 
are five feet six inches, and few in new ground, are five 
feet nine inches. A sprinkle here on the 24th, but heavy 
rain in the neighborhood ; on the 29th, rain wetting suf- 
ficiently the ground from 4 h. A. m. to 10 h. a. m. Cut- 
ting weeds on the 30th. Weeding corn on the 31st. 

June. River fell three inches on the 1st, but on the 
'Sth was at its former height ; weather warm. Some stub- 
bles are quite large even in old ground. Very light rain 
on the 4th and 7th. Through plowing and hoeing, for 
the fifth time, one hundred and sixty arpents plant cane 
in old ground on the 10th, and begun, the same day, to 
plow stubbles, for the fourth time. Rain on the 12th, 
13th an^ 14th ; very warm on the 17th. Resumed 
plowing stubbles on the 18th. On the 19th, the 
heaviest rain since winter; from 8i h. P. M. to 9i h. p. m., 
with violent wind. Rain again on the 21st and 22d. 
The belief that there is much more rain when the river 
is falling, is erroneous, for the weather this year and last 
year proves the contrary. The Mississippi overflows at 
St. Louis, and covers an immense territory in the State of 
Missouri. Some plant cane, in old land, screen the plow- 
men almost completely. Rain on the 24th, at midday, 
enough to stop plowing. Rain on the 26th, 28th and 
29th. 

Jtihj. Rain on the 1st and 2d. Stubbles continue to 
thrive. A stubble cane taken from a former potatoe 
patch, measures, in joints, three feet eight inches. Part 
of the front levee, on batture, gave way in the afternoon; 
the break is from twenty-five to thirty feet, but the open- 
ings in the rear levee were soon closed, and the work 
completed at lOi o'clock in the evening. On the 5th, at 
9i h. p. M., the heat was excessive; thermometer 25° R. 
above zero, the same as on the 18th July, 1841 ; on the 
6th, at 3 h. p. m., thermometer 27i° R. above zero; the 
heat killing one plow horse, and the sun staggering three 



L97 ] 

• others ; on the same day, at 9 J p. m. thermometer 24° R. 
above zero. On the 28th of June in 1838, the ther- 
mometer rose to 28i° R. within doors. The fields being 
so unusually grassy, that the hands were employed to 
weed on Sunday, ' the 7th. Notwithstanding rain and 
grass, canes are remarkably fine. Through hoeing stub- 
bles on the 7th ; begun anew plowing and hoeing plant 
canes on the 8th ; on the 9 th, the rain interrupted 
plowing, and the shower was such that the sugar house 
gutters overflowed and damaged some sugar. Rain on 
the 10th. River has again risen one and one-half inches, 
on the 11th. Rain on the 13th and 14th. River re- 
ceding on the 18th. Through hoeing plant cane on the 
18th ; through plowing on the 19th. Shower on the 
24th. Through working the whole crop; cutting, haul- 
ing and burning pissaheds on the 25th, with all hands. On 
the 25th, river as high as it had ever been, but still ten 
inches lower than in 1828. Rain on the 25th and 26th. 
Through filtering sugar scrapings and the rest of cistern 
bottoms, on the 27th. Rain on the 28th and 29th, and 
a heavy shower on the 30th. 

August. On the 1st, a flooding rain. Crevasse at J. 
B. Armant's. Size of canes here and in the neighborhood, 
irom five feet one inch, to six feet eleven inches. Rain 
on the 2d and 3d. River fell six inches on the 4th and 
5th. Rain on the 8th and 9th, and during night on the 
10th ; rain again on the 12th, 13th, 14th, 16th, 17th, 
18th and 19th. On the 25th, river has fallen two feet 
from its highest stage. Begun hauling wood to sugar 
house on the 26th. Filled ponds with river water on the 
28th. Weather fine, and cool enough, at night, to close 
doors, on the 29th. 

Septemher. On the 4th, weather very warm at 9 h. p. 
M. ; thermometer 24° R. ; light rain, only laying dust, on 
the 6th ; weather dry and cool on the 7th, very favorable 
for wood hauling, but more rain wanted for cane. Begun 
' cutting hay on the 11th. On the 13th, a sprinkle, which 
prevents the hauling of hay. Have been hauling wood 



[98 J 

for twenty days, without interruption, on the 15th. 
Through hauling wood to sugar house on the 20th. The 
canes, overflowed by the "Armant crevasse," fell to the- 
ground when the water subsided ; the sugar of these 
canes was poor, as they were already large at the time of 
the overflow. Weather too uncertain to make hay ; light 
rain on the 18th and 20th ; cloudy and cold on the 22d. 
Resumed hay making on 23d. Through gathering corn 
on the 24tli ; only two thousand barrels made ; five thou- 
sand barrels required for the year. Weather cloudy, and 
a light rain on the 25th. Stacked the hay cut on the 
23d. On the 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th, repaired the 
front levee, which had given away in July. On the 27th, 
rain during night, weather cloudy and cold, with north 
wind ; on the 28th, very light and cold rain; thermometer 
in the evening, 10° R. above zero; on the 29tli, in the 
morning, thermometer 4° R. above zero, being the coldest 
weather ever felt in September. In 1832, the thermome- 
ter, on the 1st of October, fell to 7° R., and on the 2d to 
5P R. above zero. On the 30th, cut over sixty loads of 
hay in the day. 

October. On the 4th, all the hay hauled and stored. 
Weather unusually dry for the season. Through picking 
corn crop of hands (twenty-seven hundred barrels), on 
the 8th. Repairs on front levee completed on the 9th. 
On the 10th, 11th and 12th repaired roads. Cloudy on 
the 13th. Hauled to "English Park" 1500 loads of 
manure, in one month, with two carts ; with four carts 
and four loaders, hauled to " English Park" one thousand 
loads of dirt in seven days. Begun matlaying on the 
15th. Rain on the 17th, after fifty-eight days of drought, 
with only one light rain on the 27th of September, which 
did not prevent plantation work; rain on the 18th, 
with wind, shaking or blowing down a part of canes in 
one hundred arpents ; cold on the 19th ; very fair and 
cold, possibly white frost, on the 20th. Through mat- 
laying on the 20th. On the 21st, plantation hands say 
2^rayer in the newly built sugar house, and then give a 



[99] 

ball. Begun cutting cane for the mill on the 23d'.. 
Weather warm and threatening ; rain on the 26th. Begun 
grinding on the 27th, at 11 J A. M., and twenty-six hours- 
afterwards there were twenty-three hogsheads of sugar 
made. The first twenty arpents ground gave only nine 
hogsheads, but the next thirteen arpents yielded twenty- 
three hogsheads of sugar. 28th, fair ; 29th, thermom- 
eter 6° R. above zero ; 30th, white frost, thermometer 4 J° 
R. above zero. 

November. On the 2d, the weather still fair, without 
oold. Stopped grinding on the 4th, at daybreak, for want 
of cane ; (sixty-six arpents of canes yielded one hundred 
and twenty hogsheads, notwithstanding loss of juice in^ 
changing from one set of kettles to the other). During 
this first run of seven days and twenty hours, one hun- 
dred and thirty-two hogsheads of su2:ar were made, witli>, 
only one hundred and ninety-five cords of wood three feet- 
long, being one and a half cords to the hogshead. 
Weather cloudy and cool on the 4th. Resumed grinding 
on the 5th, in the morning, but stopped awhile to work 
on another set of kettles. (Two hundred and twenty- 
three hogsheads of sugar made altogether from one hun- 
dred and twenty- three arpents of canes). Rain on the 
10th and 11th, and during all night on the 11th, with 
thunder ; this rain is the heaviest of the whole year. 
Stopped grinding on the 11th, at 7 o'clock in the morn- 
ing ; coolers being all full, and sugar yet too warm to be 
potted. Resumed grinding in the evening. On the ISth, 
weather getting cold, but cloudy all day; on the 14th', 
thermometer 3° R. above zero ; white frost, slightly touch- 
ing potatoe vines and vegetables ; warm and cloudy on 
the 17th, and rain during the whole night ; cold, sprink- 
ling rain on the 18th. Stopped grinding on the 18th, 
at midday, with three hundred and fifty-three hogsheads 
of sugar made. About one hundred and eighty arpents 
of canes gave three hundred and forty-five hogsheads of 
sugar; four hundred and ninetj^-one arpents canes yet to 
grind. Rain during night on the 20th, which lasted until. 



LlOO] 

the 21st, at midday. Resumed grinding on the 20th, in 
the morning, at 10 o'clock. On the 22d, weather cloudy 
in the morning, but fair in the evening. Roads are very 
bad. On the 23d, thermometer 5° R. above zero ; light 
frost on the 24 th ; thermometer 5° R. above zero ; cloudy 
on the 26th. (Canes are quite green, like last year). 
Rain on the 27th until midday. Stopped grinding on the 
28th, at 5 h. p. m., to clean boilers, having made on one 
set of kettles one hundred and fifty-nine hogsheads in 
eight days and seven hours, being nineteen hogsheads per 
day. Rain during night on the oOth. Roads are almost 
impracticable. 

Decemher. Rain on the 1st and 3d ; heavy rain on 
the 6th. Stopped grinding, for twenty-four hours, on the 
6th. North wind on the 7th ; weather very fair on the 
8th; white frost on the 9th; thermometer 1° R. above 
zero. Resumed grinding on the 10th, after having 
stopped eighteen hours on the 9th, to repair roads. Six 
hundred and sixty-two hogsheads sugar already made. 
Some ice, in a kettle, did not entirely melt during the 
day ; thermometer on the 10th, in the morning, zero of 
Reaumur, and in the evening 2° R. above zero; on the 
11th, in the morning, thermometer 1J° R. below zero. 
Stopped grinding to windrow fifty arpents of canes; this 
work is being done quite opportunely, for the first cold of 
li° R. below zero, never freezes but the top part of the 
cane. Through windrowing fifty arpents of canes on the 
13th, at 10 h. A. M. A sprinkle on the 13th before day, 
but weather fair from 10 h. A. m. ; northwest wind and 
white frost on the 14th ; white frost on the 15th ; the day 
cloudy; north wind on the 16th; on the 17 th thermometer 
li° below zero. The canes are frozen to the ground. On 
the 18th, thermometer 2° R, above zero. Eight hundred 
hogsheads ef sugar already made on the 18th, at 10 h. A. 
M. Two hundred and thirty arpents of canes more to 
grind. 19th, rain ; 20th, fair in the evening. 21st, 
stopped grinding for want of canes to the mill. 22d, a 
sprinkle at 6 h. A. M., and afterwards a brisk north wind 



Lioi] 

during the whole day. Four hands filling up barrels of 
molasses; barreled seven thousand one hundred and fifty 
gallons in one hour. 23d, thermometer 1° above zero; 
some ice in ditches. Repaired road. 24th, fair at 5 h. 
p. M. Nine hundred hogsheads of sugar made. 26th, 
warm; but wind soon blows from the north; 27th, very 
fair.; thermometer 3° R. above zero; 28th, thermometer 
1° R. above zero; on the 30th and 31st weather warm. 

1845. 

January. 1st, stopped grinding at 6 h. A. M., with one 
thousand and twenty-three hogsheads of sugar made in six- 
ty-five days, less the time taken up to clean machinery, to 
repair roads and to windrow canes, etc.; the sugar house 
having been in operation only fifty-seven days : thus, dur- 
ing that whole period, eighteen hogsheads of sugar were 
daily made on one set of kettles at a time. The plant 
cane, though cut two joints below the adherent leaves^ 
still measured six feet to the mill, and yielded one and a 
half hogsheads of fine sugar to the arpent, twenty days» 
after the killing frost; in 1840 the same thing occurring 
twenty-two days after the freeze. Resumed grinding oa- 
the 2d ; through grinding on the 10th, making a crop of 
one thousand one hundred and fifty-two hogsheads of 
sugar. (Notwithstanding the drought of sixty-five days 
in the spring of 1844, and the later drought of fifty-eight 
days, from August 19th to October 17th, 1844, the canes 
yielded nearly two hogsheads to the arpent,; on an aver- 
age.) Six hundred and twenty arpents of canes having 
given one thousand one hundred and fifty-two hogsheads. 
On the 15th, begun to open furrows with fifteen plows. 
On the 15th and 16th, hauled dirt with four carts into 
''English Park." Rain on the 17th; on the 18th the 
heaviest rain since November 11th ; cloudy on the 19th ; 
fair on the 20th. Left for the island of Cuba on the 
26th. Half a crop made on the island, owing to exces- 
sive drought of last year and to the hurricane of .October 
4th. 

February. This month was altogether mild and fair^. 



[ 102 ] 

'Only two light rains intervening, thus planting was soon 
over ; although a mild winter so far. it is not so favorable 
as that of 1844. Clover fine in front pasture. 

March. 1st, plum and peach trees in blossom. Weather 
warm and cloudy up to the 9th, on which day light 
showers of rain; rain on the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th, and 
weather cold and unpleasant. Stubbles, where cane trash 
has been burnt, are all up. Only thirty-seven arpents plant 
' canes are just marking the row. Canes are not so for- 
ward as last year. Rain on the 23d, during the night; 
rain on the 24th; fair on the 25th; a light rain on the 
26th and 27th. Through plowing in stubbles on the 
27th. Only about forty arpents of plant canes mark the 
row. 

April. Through shaving one hundred and seventy 
arpents of stubbles, and grubbing one hundred and fifty 
arpents on the 2d. Begun to hoe, for the second time, a 
portion of ptant cane, the balance being hoed, for the first 
time, on the 3d. Rain on the 3d, in the afternoon ; rain 
•on the 6th. Through hauling dirt in " English Park " on 
the 12th, after three weeks hauling. River had fallen 
two feet on the 15th. Rain on the 15th and 17th. 
Through hoeing cane, for the second time, on the 18th. 
Begun third weeding in plant cane on the 24th. Trifling 
rain on the 28th ; 29th, rain. 30th, river four feet lower 
than in March, as in 1839 ; but on the 17th June, in 
1839, it rose up again to the high banks. Sowing peas 
on the 30th; also replanting corn. ^ 

May. Rain on the 2d and 3d ; on the 5th, very heavy 
rain with violent wind which blows down fences, and 
uprooting trees in garden ; north wind and fair weather 
on the 7th. Begun giving dirt to stubbles with the plow 
■on the 9th. Through hoeing plant cane, for the third 
time, on the 10th. A neighbor shaves some stubbles on 
the 10th. A good rain on the 14 th ; north wind and 
weather cold on the 15th. Through working stubbles, 
for the second time, on the 17th. Begun plowing and 
Jioeing plant cane, for the fourth time, on the 19th, and 



[103] 

through with the work on the 24th. Rain wanted. 
Size of canes on the 24th : plant canes from four to five 
feet ; some measuring, in same ground, from five feet six 
inches to six feet, in 1842. Stubbles are from three feet 
six inches to four feet six inches high. On the 24th, 
rain and wind in the evening } rain on the 25th and 26th, 
27th and 28th. 

June. On the 6th, begun working stubbles for the 
third time. Light rain on the 6th and 7th ; rain on the 
Sth, at day break ; rain on the 10th, llth and 13th. 
^egun to lay-by plant cane with the plow ; they are not 
large enough. (Canes are smaller than last year, and 
than in 1839 and 1840 ; though the winter has been 
mild. Fruits, however, are very early and plentiful). 
Through plowing in plant cane on the 24th, and begun 
on the 25th to plow stubbles for the last time. (Many 
planters had done working their cane crop on the 22d). 

July. Light rain on the 2d and 3d ; on the 4th, a rain 
which interfered with plowing and hoeing. River has 
risen considerably since the 1st, and is up to the high 
banks on the 4th, Sth and 6th, with much drift wood as 
on the 22d of June, 1839. Through laying-by cane crop 
on the 10th. Heavy rain on the 12th. Begun hauling 
wood to back pasture. Rain wanted ; thermometer 27° 
R. above zero, at 9i h. p. m. on the 23d; nine persons 
died of insolation in New Orleans ; on the 24th, ther- 
mometer 25° R. above zero, and 24° R. on the 25th ; 
(from the 14th to the 20th the same intense heat pre- 
vailed in the city of New York, causing the death of 
four hundred and seventy-four persons). North wind on 
the 29th, 30th and 31st. 

August. On the 1st and 2d, weather cool enough to 
close doors at night. The river has fallen three feet. 
The largest stubbles here, are five feet five inches. In 
1839, some canes were four feet eleven inches high, and 
gave two and a quarter hogsheads of sugar to the arpent, 
whilst some canes measuring five feet, in 1841, only 
yielded one and a half hogsheads to the arpent. In 1844, 



[104] 

the yield of canes was excellent, with the weather rainy 
from the 12th of June to the 18th of August; rain is 
necessary for the sugar crop, from the 20th of July to the 
5th of September, then drought must continue until 
November. Women still employed cutting weeds in pas- 
tures since the 25th of July. Good rain on the 8th. 
Through making powdered sugar on the 9 th. Weather too 
dry on the 16th. Elsewhere drought has been and is still 
unusually great ; but in this neighborhood we have had 
good rain, at least every three weeks. Levelling ground in 
"English Park" on the l8th, 19th and 20th. A little 
rain on the 19th ; on the 20th, a heavy shower with 
wind, which partly blew down canes ; on the 22d, heavy 
rain with much thunder ; partial shower on the 23d. 
Begun to haul wood to sugar house on the 26th. 
(Canes last year were fine and yielded well, not- 
withstanding the drought of sixty-five days in the spring, 
and that of fifty-eight days in summer). Rain on the 
30th and 31st. 

September. Rain on the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th, 6th and 
7th. Weeding pastures, etc., on the 8th. Cutting hay 
on the 15th and 16th. Some pea vines give six cart 
loads of hay to the arpent. Weather warm and cloudy 
on the 19th. A planter of Iberville begins grinding on 
the 15th; makes tolerably good sugar. His molasses sold 
for thirty cents on the 25th. Light rain, b}^ intervals, 
on the 20th and also during night. Wind northeast on 
the 21st; weather cloud}^ and cool; on the 22d, wind 
northwest, On the 23d, thermometer 11° R. above zero. 
Hauling hay on the 25th, 26th and 27th. Rain on the 
28th, 29th and 30th. From fifteen to sixteen hands will 
store forty-eight loads of hay from 11 h. a. m. to dusk. 

October. Rain on the 1st and 3d. AVeather cool on 
the 4th; fair on the 5th ; on the 6th, thermometer 8P 
R. above zero ; weather very fair ; rain on the 7th, 8th 
and 9th ; strong northwind on the 10th. with a very light 
rain ; wind north on the 11th ; thermometer 51° R. above 
zero ; (on the 11th of October, 1838, the thermometer 



[ 105 ] 

fell to 4P R. above zero ; the killing frost, however, only 
came on' the 24th of December) ; white frost on the 12th. 
The corn crop a failure. All the hay stored on the 12th. 
Thermometer 7i° R. above zero. On the 17th, weather 
slightly cloudy ; trifling rain on the 18th. Begun mat- 
laying on the 19th. Rain on the 20th ; weather fair on 
the 23d and 24th. Through matlaying on the 26th. 
Begun cutting cane for the mill on the 29th ; weather 
warm ; rain- on the 31st. 

Novemher. Rain again on the 1st. Begun grinding on 
the 3d. (Twenty-seven arpents of plant cane and nine- 
teen arpents of stubbles gave twenty-five hogsheads of 
sugar); then thirty- three arpents yielded forty-three hogs- 
heads of sugar. Weather warm on the 8th, with some 
drops of rain ; on the 9th, fair; thermometer 5° R. above 
zero ; on the 10th, white frost ; thermometer 5° R. above 
zero. Stopped grinding on the 11th for want of canes to 
the mill. One hundred and ninety-eight hogsheads of 
sugar made. Thirty-seven arpents of plant cane having 
yielded sixty hogsheads, and thirty-five arpents of stub- 
bles, thirty-five hogsheads of sugar. Rain on the 18th ;: 
weather fair in the afternoon ; fair on the 19th and 20th. 
On the 21st, leaves of canes as green as in summer. 
Wind northwest on the 24th ; thermometer 2J° R. above 
zero. Cane leaves are affected at the top.- Weather 
getting cold on the 26th; strong north wind on the 27th, but 
weather not very cold ; on the 28th, thermometer 1° 
R. below zero. Begun windrowing at once. Eyes of 
canes are all good, but cane tops are frost bitten. On the 
30th, weather very bad, with sleet all day ; thermometer 
zero at 8 h. p. m. Windrowing canes with the whole 
gang. 

Decemher. On the 1st, thermometer 21° R. below zero. 
Still windrowing. Canes are frozen from four to five 
joints below the adherent leaves. On the 2d, thermome- 
ter 3° R. below zero. Canes are killed to the ground. 
Weather very cold ; rain on the 3d, before day-break ;. 
north wind on the 4th ; ice and white frost on the 5th ; 
9 



[106] 

weather as cold as on the 2d, and about midday, melted 
sleet falls ; some rain on the 6th, 7th and 8th, with south 
wind ; the weather is disagreeably warm, and the damp- 
ness very great. Roads are in a fearful condition. On 
the 9th, wind northeast and rain ; some rain on the 11th 
^nd 12th, and rain during the whole forenoon of the 
13th ; the weather is unusually wet. Stopped grinding 
on the 14th, for want of cane to the mill. Five hundred 
and six hogsheads of sugar made; twenty arpents of 
standing cane, and one hundred and five arpents of wind- 
rowed canes yet to grind. Rain on the 14th ; north 
wind on the 15th, weather fair; on the 16th, ice and 
white frost; weather cloudy on the 17th, in the after- 
noon, and rain during the night. Through hauling and 
grinding canes which had been left standing, and which 
gave very fine sugar, being cut immediately below 
the adherent leaves, eighteen days after the ice of 
the 1st of December. North wind and weather fair 
on the 18th. (Very ripe canes will yield good sugar, 
even twenty days after a killing frost). Green canes, 
when once frozen, will spoil at once. Cloudy on 
the 19th, but wind shifts to the north during night; 
very severe cold on the 21st, thermometer 35° R. below 
zero. Stopped grinding until midday, the canes being 
too frozen to pass them through the mill. On the 22d 
the ice of the previous day had not yet melted in the 
shade. Rain during the night of the 22d ; cloudy on 
23d and 24th; north wind on the 25th. Seventy arpents 
of canes, windrowed in old ground, gave one hundred and 
ten hogsheads of sugar. Stopped grinding and left juice 
thirteen hours in kettles, resulting in three strikes only 
of red sugar. Roads are in such bad condition that, 
during three days, canes can be hauled in the day time, 
to supply the sugar house for the night only, making 
about ten hogsheads of sugar in twenty-four hours, with 
sixteen carts hauling. Ice on the 27th, and on the 28th, 
thicker ice, and very heavy white frost. Through cut- 
ting canes on the 28th ; through grinding on the 29th, 
making six hundred and seventy-five hogsheads of sugar. 



[107] 

Ice and white frost on the 29th; cloudy on the 30th. 
Eepaired roads. The 31st given to the plantation hands. 
When the thermometer falls to 5° below zoro, the in- 
tensity of €old will cause the cane to split and spoil at 
once ; a cold of 3° R. below zero, will kill canes to the 
ground, but will not split them. 

1846. 

January. On the 1st, cloudy in the morning, heavy 
•rain from 1 h. to 3 h. p. m.; fair on the 2d ; rain on the 
-5th, and during night heavy rain; white frost on the 
6th ; fair on the 7th; cloudy on the 8th: Begun to open 
furrows. Begun to plant canes on the 10th. On the 
11th, weather cold, thermometer 11° R. below .zero; on 
the 12th, thermometer 1° R. below zero; rain on the 
14th. Planting canes on the 14th. Rain on the 19 th, 
in the morning, and so heavily during the whole evening, 
that the public road was covered with water six inches to 
one foot deep, and even on the next day, water still 
covered the ground in front of the dwelling house ; this 
rain was, probably, heavier than that of 1823. Fair and 
oold on the 22d ; cloudy on the 25th ; rain on the 29th ; 
fair on the 31st. 

February. On the 5th, rain interrupted planting. 
. Rain on the 6th ; some rain on the 10th ; fair on the 
12th; thunder during night, from the 12th to the 13th; 
heavy rain, all day, on the 13th ; weather cold on the 
15th, thermometer 2J° R. above zero; a little rain on 
the 18th; a return of cold weather on the 19th; 21st, 
cloudy; 22d, fair and white frost; 24th, some rain ; 25th, 
fair. 

March. On the 2d begun to plow in plant canes, and 
to hoe afterwards. Rain every three or four days, but 
not much water in ditches. 13th, light rain before day ; 
fair on the 14th and 15th. Through plowing and hoe- 
ing plant canes on the 19th, for the first time. Weather 
turning warm; heavy rain, which stops work, on the 
20th ; a cut of canes, on lower line, remaining a whole 



[108] 

day under water. Fair on the 21st; light rain on the- 
22d, and rain all night; heavy rain on the 23d; partial 
light rain on the 31st. Fine clover in all the pastures. 

April. From the 3d to the 5th, rain, with thunder, 
during the whole night. Such heavy rain as that of 
January 19th and that of the 3d and 4th of April, are 
of rare occurrence in so short a period. Trifling rain on 
the 6th ; north wind and fair weather on the 7th. 
Through shaving stubbles, on the 13th only, owing to 
frequent rains. (The steady east wind caused Pontchar- 
train lake to swell up during the last eight days, and ta 
overflow the back portion of plantations from the Red 
Church to New Orleans ; the rear part of the city, from 
Rampart street, was also under water). On the 13th, 
begun to plow and hoe plant canes, for the second time. 
A light rain on the 13th ; weather cold enough for fire on 
the 14th, and rain during night, which interrupted work; 
rain on the IStli, during night, preventing plantation 
work. Plant cane marking the row on the 19th, but 
few stubbles only are up. Rain on the 19tli and 21st. 
Weeding canes on the 23d and 24th. Rain on the 25th, 
26th and 27th ; wind north, and weather fair on the 
28th, 29th and 30th. (Tiie spring is remarkably wet). 

Mai/. On the 4th, through working plant canes for 
the second time. Heavy rain during the whole night, 
from the 4th to the 6th. The land, on lower line of 
plantation, is again overflowed, for the fourth time, in the 
space of about three and a half months, from January 
19th. Plant cane and stubbles mark the row on the 6th, 
but cane crop is very backward. Begun plowing plant 
cane, for the third time, on the 9th, and hoeing them on 
the 11th. A flooding rain on the 13th, and heavy rain 
again, with violent wind, daring night, from the 13th to 
the 14th, and rain still during the 14th, and also after 
evening. (These rains overflowing again the same ground^ 
on lower line, for the seventh time, and the wind blew 
down one hundred trees in garden). North wind on the 
15th and 17th ; weather cloudy and very windy on the 



[109] 

22d and 23d ; the strength of the wind was such that the 
river could not be crossed over. Through working plant 
^ane, for the third time, on the 23d ; seventy hands could 
hoe only thirty arpents per day. On the 25th, begun 
hauling wood to back pasture. Size of canes on the 25th : 
plant canes, in general, do not average more than three 
feet ; a portion, however, measure, with leaves, from three 
and a half to four feet ; some stubbles are from three to 
four feet, three inches ; but the generality of canes, both 
plant and stubbles, are small, though thick enough. (The 
crop having been insufficiently worked, the prospect is 
still worse than in 1843 ; in 1843 the ground was kept in 
good condition, whilst, during the present season, the 
ground could not be put or maintained in good order, on 
account of the frequency of rain). Through hoeing stub- 
bles, for the second time, on the 29 th. Begun to plow 
and harrow plant cane, and begun the fourth weeding in 
plant cane on the 30th. A light rain, laying the dust. 

Jtcne. On the 1st a beneficial rain ; quite a heavy rain 
on the 5th, at 2 h. A. m., which continued to fall, more or 
less, during the whole day. Cutting weeds in front pas- 
tures. Rain on the 6th, Tth and 8th ; the 8th being St. 
Medard's day, it rained incessantly ; the vulgar believe 
that rainy weather will prevail when it rains on that par- 
ticular day. North wind on the 10th ; rain on the 13th. 
Through hoeing plant cane, for the fourth time, on the 
17th, Through plowing stubbles, for the third time, on 
the 20th. A great number of black butterflies, with red 
heads, the forerunners, probably, of caterpillars, in July. 
Rain on the 18th, interrupting work, and rain during the 
night, from the 18th to the 19th, and all that day ; the 
heat very great in the evening of the 22d, thermometer 
241° R. above zero at 10 h. p. m., the same as last year, 
on the 21st of July. Plowing and hoeing plant cane on 
the 24th, for the fifth time; on the 30th, through plow- 
ing plant cane ; these canes will have to be plowed again, 
except eighty arpents which are laid-by. 

July. On the 1st canes are about the height of the 



[110] 

teams. Rain on the 2d; rain on the 3d, with hi^h wind, 
and rain until the 4th in the morning; rain again on the 
6th, water covering the ground on the lower line of plan- 
tation, and destroys peas planted already twice. Laid-by 
thirty-three arpents of stubbles, which were so grassy 
that it took one and a half days to hoe them. Heavy 
rain and wind on the 9th ; rain on the 12th ; light misty 
rain on the loth. Sowed peas, for the fourth time, in 
low ground, on lower line of plantation. Rain increasing 
at 3 h. p. M. on the 13th ; rain on the 14th, 15th, 16th, 
17th, and also during the night from the 16th to the 
17th ; weather cool enough to close doors on the nights 
of the 16th and 17th ; rain during the night is of rare 
occurence in summer; rain on the 20th and 21st. Only 
one hundred and fifty arpents of cane hoed, for the last 
time, on the 24th. Weather very warm on the 26th; 
from the 26th to the oOth thermometer 24° R. every 
evening at 10 p. 3I. Through plowing the crop on the 
30th. 

August. On the 1st, through laying-by the cane crop. 
A heavy shower in the afternoon. (Plant cane, in gen- 
eral, when being laid-by, did not entirely screen the 
hands, except eighty arpents of canes, which measured 
about four feet six inches. In 1839, on the 1st of August,, 
canes then four feet eight inches, yielded two and one- 
quarter hogsheads of" sugar to the arpent, whilst on the 
1st of August, 1842, canes, in the same ground, measur- 
ing four feet eleven inches, gave only one and one-half 
hogslieads to the arpent. In 1839 it rained seventeen 
times in the month of August, but in August, 1841 and 
1842, it only rained seven times.) Light rain before 
daybreak on the 3d ; light rain on the 7th; lieavy shower 
on the 8th and 12th. The women cutting weeds in 
pastures on the 13th. Rain on the 13th, and also on 
the 14th, commencing at noon and falling all night until 
the 15th, at noon, (this being the sixth time that rain 
falls during the night) ; rain on the 16th, 17th, 18th, 
19th and 20th. Begun chopping wood for next year. 
Rain on the 22d, 23d, 26th, 28th, 29th, 30th and 31st. 



[ 111 J 

September. Rain on the 1st, 2d, 3d^ 4th, and on the 
5th light rain during the night, this being the seventh 
time that rain falls during the night. Canes measuring 
four feet on the 1st of August are now six feet three 
inches, showing a growth of twenty-seven inches in one 
month. Rain on the 6th, 7th, 9th and 10th. The hands 
are employed in ditching. Extreme heat on the 13th, 
14th, 15th and 16th, especially in the evening ; ther- 
mometer ranging from 24 to 24 J° R. every evening, be- 
tween 9 and 10 o'clock p. m. Begun to make hay on the 
15th, and to haul wood to sugar house on the 16th. Wind 
blows from the north on the 18th, at night; weather cool 
and foir on the 19th ; light rain on the 23d and 24th, 
which interrupts the hauling of hay. Pea vine hay is 
excellent this year, the vine being still green and juicy. 
Trifling rain on the 26th ; weather very fair on the 28th 
and 29th ; cloudy and quite cool on the 30th. Cattle 
diseased. 

October. All the hay and corn crop stored on the 2d. 
Through picking corn crop of hands on the 8th; (they 
hardly make six hundred barrels). Begun matlaying on 
the 12th. (A drought of thirty-two days; rain wanted 
for the making of mats, and for stock in pasture). North- 
west wind on the 13th ; on the 14th, thermometer 8° R. 
above zero; weather fair, but too dry; (the stock has to 
be watered at the river) ; cloudy and warm on the 17th;. 
northwest wind on the 18th; thermometer 5° R. above 
zero; white frost on the 19th; thermometer 5° R. above 
zero ; white frost on the 20th. Begun to cut canes for 
the mill on the 24th ; matlaying the smallest canes and 
the tops of the largest. Commenced grinding on the 
27th. 

November. The new apparatus works well, and is more 
than sufficient to supply the refinery. The water in sugar 
house ponds was spoiled at the start, by leaks of juice in 
pipes from the pans, thus rendering necessary a renewal 
of water from the river by steam pump, the consumption, 
however, being greater than could be thus supplied. Very 



[112 J 

light shower from the 2d to the 3d. From the 10th of 
September to the 17th of November, no rain, except light 
insignificant showers, already mentioned : on the 17th, 
rain enough to raise water in ponds six inches; white 
frost on the 18th ; weather warm on the 23d ; enough 
rain on the 24th to add five inches more of water in 
ponds, but not enough to water stock in pasture for more 
than two days. During the night of the 24th, wind 
shifted to the north ; thin ice on the 25th. On the 26th, 
begun windrowing canes. Though the cold is not very 
great for November, tKis first freeze, however, killed the 
canes to the ground ; this very seldom occurs at a time 
when the canes have still their leaves perfectly green, but 
the canes being in full vegetation were more liable to be 
affected by this freeze. (It is very seldom that canes are 
killed to the ground by the first freeze). Continued wind'- 
rowing on Sunday, the 29th, although canes are frozen, 
because the middle streak of these canes are still white; 
they will keep in that condition. 

December. Windrowed and standing canes are making 
fine sugar on the 7th, 8th, and 9th, but weather too warm 
for frozen canes, on the 5th, 6th, and 7th. Rain during 
the night, from the 7th to the 8th, adding three feet of 
water to ponds. Boiling in common kettles on the 9 th, 
the attempt to work the new apparatus being unsuccess- 
ful, and not enough water for condensation. A white 
frost on the lltli ; again on the 12th, with some ice. 
Eighty-three arpents of cane yielded one hundred and 
thirty-one thousand pounds ; the windrowed canes making 
good sugar. Both Mr. Armant and Mr. Lapice have left 
their canes standing ; Mr. Lapice still making fine sugar 
on the 12th. On the 15th, rain enough to give about 
nine inches of water in pond; on the 16th, the drought 
has lasted ninety-seven days ; white frost on the 17th and 
18th. Through grinding on the 18th; four hundred and 
thirty-eight hogsheads of sugar, equal to four hundred 
and sixty thousand pounds. White frost on the 19th; 
thermometer 2^ above zero. Begun planting on the 24th ; 



[ 113 ] 

thermometer 1° R. below zero. River rising very fast 
since three or four days, much driftwood floating down. 
Though canes were killed to the ground when windrowed, 
they kept well and made sugar to the last ; they kept well 
because the middle streak was white; canes left standing 
did as well. The present crop of four hundred and sixty 
thousand pounds of sugar, if simply worked in moulds, 
would have given three hundred and forty-five thousand 
pounds of sugar, worth seven and a half cents per pound ; 
one hundred and fifteen thousand pounds of scrapings, 
etc, worth only six cents ; therefore, four hundred and 
sixty thousand pounds of sugar, thus worked, would have 
brought thirty-two thousand seven hundred and seventy- 
five dollars. The five thousand seven hundred and fifty 
moulds would have given, besides, nineteen hundred and 
sixteen gallons of molasses, worth twenty-two cents, 
making four thousand two hundred and sixteen dollars, 
which, being added to the value of the sugar, would give 
thirty-six thousand nine hundred and ninety-one dollars, 
representing the value of four hundred and sixty thou- 
sand pounds of sugar, simply worked in moulds. By the 
refining process, with one thousand dollars additional 
expenses, the result was as follows: 

Loaf sugar Brought |15,278 00 

Powder sugar " 9,636 00 

Crushed sugar " 1,000 00 

Yellow clarified " 4,640 00 

-Bastard sugar " 2,400 00 

Water sugar " 300 00 

Molasses " 550 00 



Total 133,804 00 

1847. 

January. 1st, rain before daybreak ; cloudy all day ; 

•weather turning cold on the 3d. River has fallen. 

Another rain early on the 4:th. One hundred and ten 

-arpents of cane planted ; ground not too wet for planting. 

White frost and ice on the 5th ; trifling rain on the 6th ; 



L114] 

weather rather mild in the afternoon ; but at midnight,, 
wind blowing north ; and on the 7th, in the morning, 
thermometer fell to 4° R. below zero; cold wind the- 
whole day. Added dirt to canes planted the day before, 
and which had been lightly covered, on account of their 
eyes sprouting. On the 8th, the severest cold since 1835 ; 
thermometer 5° R. below zero ; ice nearly two inches 
thick ; on the 10th, wind south and weather damp ; rain 
in the afternoon, and in the evening, wind north ; on the 
11th and 12th thermometer 2i° R. below zero. River 
rose again on the 12th. Weather mild enough to plant 
on the 13th. River up to its banks on the loth, and is 
at its former height. Warm on the 15th and 16th ; but 
in the afternoon of the 16th, wind blows north. One 
hundred and ninety arpents of cane planted. Southwest 
wind and cloudj'' weather on the 17th, 18th and 19th ; 
light rain and cold on the 20th, wind north ; weather 
clears off in the evening; thermometer 1° R. below zero, 
on the 21st. Two hundred and sixty arpents of cane 
planted. On the 22d, thermometer 2^° R. below zero;: 
southeast wind, weather warm and very damp on the 
23d, with light rain ; in the night of the 23d to the 24th, 
a flooding rain, with thunder, all night ; light rain on the 
24th and 25th ; rain on the 26th. A cow from planta- 
tion pasture gave sixty-seven pounds of melted tallow. 
Fair on the 27th ; weather foggy on the 30th, but white- 
frost, nevertheless. River falls a little. An astrapea,. 
measuring nearly fifteen inches in circumference. 

Fehruarij. Planting cane on the 1st and 2d. Rain on 
the 3d; ice on the 4tli ; thermometer i*^ R. below zero; 
thin ice again on the 5th. River falling. On the 6th, 
rain from 2 h. r. M., until night; the frequent rains and 
wet ground have been such that only thirty-five arpents > 
of cane have been planted in the course of two weeks. 
On the 11th, at night, wind north ; ice on the 12th ; on 
the 13th, thermometer at zero R. Through planting on 
the 13th, and begun to plow and hoe plant cane. On the 
14th, white fro.st and ice ; on the 15th, white frost ;. 



[115] 

weather quite warm on the 18th, 19th and 20th, with a 
light rain on the 20th, in the evening. River rises again on 
the 19th and 20th. Wind northwest and weather cloudy or^ 
the 21st ; white frost on the 22d -, weather cloudy with a 
light rain on the 25th ; and through plowing and hoeing 
in plant cane. Light white frost on the 28th. 

March. Begun to shave stubbles on the 1st. Rain all 
day on the 3d ; light rain on the 6th and 7th ; weather 
warm ; light and partial rain on the 10th. Through 
hoeing plant cane. River still rising. On the 11th, some 
rows of plant cane are up. Through plowing in stubbles 
on the 12th. Northwest wind on the loth ; thermometer 
6° R. above zero ; light frost on the 14th, and wind 
northwest ; on the 15th, light white frost ; on the 16th, 
white frost until 7 h. A. M.; thermometer zero R.; light 
white frost on the 17th ; high wind on the 18th and 19th; 
strong wind on the 20th, with a light rain at about 4 h. 
p. M.; white frost on the 21st and 22d. Begun second 
hoeing in plant cane on the 22d. White frost, with fog, 
on the 24th ; weather too dry, especially for plant cane, 
which are lightly covered. Good rain on the 25th, in 
the afternoon ; strong north wind on the 26th. All plant 
canes mark the row; White frost and thin ice on the 
27th ; light white frost on the 28th. The growth of 
canes was checked by eight white frosts during the 
month. On the 31st, through hoeing plant canes, for the 
second time. 

April. On the 1st, begun grubbing stubbles which had 
been previously shaved. Beneficial rain on the 6th. 
Begun plowing and hoeing, for the third time, in plant 
canes on the 7th. A good rain on the 10th; rain, at 
noon, on the 14th ; north wind on the 15th. Through 
working plant canes, for the third time, on the 17th. 
Begun to work stubbles on the 19th, for the second time. 
Rain, at noon, on the 22d, but falling in rear of planta- 
tion only; rain, in front, on the 23d, in the evening. 
Through working stubbles, for the second time, on the 
24th, and begun to work plant canes, for the fourth time. 
Light rain at midnight on the 24th. 



[116] 

May, On the night of 1st to the 2d, rain, with strong 
wind. River fell three inches on the 8th. Crevasse at 
Algiers on the 8th, but closed on the 16th. Begun 
plowing in stubbles, for the third time, on the 10th, and 
hoeing on the 12th. Wind north on the 12th and 13th. 
(This is often the case in May, but in 1838 there was a 
light frost as late as the 25th, with the thermometer 5° 
E-. above zero.) Begun working plant cane, for the fifth 
time, on the 14th, in the afternoon. River within its 
bed on the 20th. On the 21st rain, to lay dust only, in 
the evening. Through working plant canes, for the fifth 
time, on the 24th. Both plants and stubbles are very 
regular in size, and measure four feet six inches, and 
many are five and a half feet. Light rain most all day, 
but no water in ditches; rain on the 26th. Cutting 
weeds in pastures on' the 26th, 27th and 28th. Begun 
working plant canes, for the sixth time, on the 31st, and 
laid-by, on the same day, thirty-five arpents of canes. 

June. No rain on St. Medard's day, on the 8th. On the 
8th, through working plant canes, for the sixth time, and 
begun working stubbles, for the fourth time, on the 10th. 
Rain a little in the morning ; weather still too dry ; wind 
north on the 11th ; rain on the 16th, at midnight, and 
the whole day of the 17th. Begun laying-by plant canes 
with the plow on the 19th, and with the hoe on the 22d. 
North wind on the 21st and 22d. Plant canes, generally, 
are large enough to screen the team and plowman. Al- 
most through laying-by plant canes on the 30th. Rain 
at 2 h. A. M., and continues to sprinkle during the day. 

July. On the 1st, rain before daybreak ; rain on the 
2d and 3d, and again showers on the 3d, from 11 h. p. m. 
until 3 h. A. M., this being the third rain during night in 
the course of this summer ; light rain on the 4th ; rain 
on the 6th, 7th and 8th. River up to the banks on the 
8th. Rain again on the 9th, 10th and 11th; heavy rain 
on the 12th. (In 1838. eighty arpents of stubble canes, 
jointed only two feet eleven inches, at this time in July, 
when ground, yielded one hundred and twenty hogs- 



[ 117 ] 

heads of sugar. The same cut of canes, in old land, is 
better this year.) The rain of the 12th, overflowing 
sugar house trough in the heating room, spoiled three 
hundred loaves of sugar; on the 19th of July, 1840, the 
same accident occurred. Rain on the 13th. Through 
working scrapings of sugar on the 14th. The whole 
gang hoeing stubbles on the 16th. A plant cane, in old 
ground, measured, in joints, three feet seven inches, and 
a stubble cane two feet ten inches. Through laying-by 
forty arpents of plant canes, which rain had prevented 
to work in time. Rained a little on the 20th, but not 
enough to stop hoe work. Through laying-by stubbles 
with the hoe on the 23d. Cleaned principal sugar house 
pond with pump, with eighteen hands, in half a day. 
Rain on the the 24th at midday ; rain on the 25th and 
26th. Cleaning ditches on the 26th. Hauled wood the 
whole week with four ox carts. Some rain on the 27th. 
Bending corn on the 27th and 28th. A neighbor planter 
shows a sample of plant cane measuring six feet, on the 
28th. 

August. Wind north on the 1st. Though stubble 
canes are of good size, they are inferior to those of the 
1st of August, 1844. Heat excessive on the 2d, ther- 
mometer 24° R., at 9 o'clock in the evening. Through 
cleaning small sugar house pond, and through making 
powder sugar, in refinery, on the 2d, but still more bas- 
tard sugar left to work. Through weeding ditches on 
the 3d. Rain on the 5th and 6th ; north wind on the 
7th ; cloudy on the 8th ; north wind on the 9th. Cut- 
ting weeds in back pasture, for the third time, on the 
9tli. A shower on the 10th. Through chopping wood, 
for present crop, on the 12th ; begun cutting wood, for 
next year, on the 16th ; be^un hauling wood to sugar 
house on the 13th. Rain on the 15th, before day, and 
falling, more or less, during the day. Yellow fever pre- 
vailing badly in New Orleans. The women are still cut- 
ting weeds in the pastures. Heavy rain on the 16th;, 
rain on the 19th, in the afternoon, and rain on the 21st,. 
22d, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th,'30th and 31st. 



[118] 

Septemher, Light rain on the 1st. (Canes which mea- 
sured five feet on the 1st of August, were seven feet four 
inches, with leaves, on the 1st of September, showing a 
growth of twenty-eight inches during the month of Au- 
gust; the growth of canes here was fourteen inches 
during September). Light rain on the 2d; rain on the 
4th, which stopped the hauling of wood on the 5th. 
Worked on roads during six days. Gathered corn on the 
7th. The 9th, cloudy, wind cool; the 10th, weather 
fair. Begun to cut hay on the 11th, East wind, and 
cloudy weather from the 15th to the 20th ; rain on the 
20th and 21st. Through storing hay on the 25th, and 
through hauling wood to back pasture. Threatening 
weather on the 28th. Through gathering corn on the 
29th (two thousand eight hundred barrels). Hauled out 
two hundred and fifty cords of wood more, as a precau- 
tion. Begun to pick corn crop of hands, on the 29th. 

October. On the 7th, through gathering corn crop of 
plantation hands (two thousand six hundred and fifty 
barrels, unshocked), and begun to matlay at noon, on the 
7th. Fifteen hundred cords of wood, after handling and 
hauling, gave only one thousand one hundred and seventy; 
and two hundred and fifty cords more recently hauled 
and handled, only gave one hundred and seventy-five 
cords : thus making a total deficit, after hauling and 
handling, of four hundred and five cords. Weather cold 
on the 15th; thermometer 9^° R. above zero. Through 
matlaying on the IGth. East wind on the 17th ; weather 
warm. Begun cutting canes for the mill, on the 18th. 
Begun boiling on the 21st. Three hundred and forty 
cart loads of canes out of seventeen arpents ; those canes 
yielded only fifteen hundred pounds to the arpent, 
whilst in 1848, eleven cart loads of canes to the arpent, 
gave one thousand five hundred and twenty-nine pounds 
of sugar. In 1847, eighteen hundred gallons of cane 
juice were daily required to make thirteen thousand 
pounds of sugar. Caues are excessively green, the juice 
weighing 6° B. when just taken from the mill, and 7° B. 



1119] 

m 

when deposited. The second produce is not better than 
the bastard sugar of last year. Northwest wind on the 
24th; thermometer 7° R. above zero on the 25th and 
28th. Stopped grinding in the morning, to clean boilers. 
The clarifiers leaking, the cane juice penetrated into 
the heater, and from the heater into the boilers, and 
compelled the cleaning of the boilers. Through boiling 
on the 30th, making one hundred and forty thousand 
pounds of sugar in nine and a quarter days. 

November. On the 1st, resumed grinding. "Weather 
warm on the 1st and 2d, Compelled once more to stop 
grinding to clean boilers; the cane juice leaking out 
through double bottom of clarifiers, and reaching the 
heater and boilers. On the 6th, the sugar house of Mr. 
Sosthene Roman, is destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt 
from the 9th November to the 5th December. Light 
showers on the 9th and 10th; weather warm; on the 
12th, weather clears off in the evening. Stopped using 
the steam apparatus to work kettles on the loth. Eair 
and cool on the 13th. Three hundred and ten hogsheads 
of sugar made. Weather threatening rain on the 16th ; 
a light rain on the 17th ; heavy shower, with thunder, 
on the 18th; this being the first rain to wet the ground 
since the 5th of September; the drought lasting seventy- 
€ight days ; on the 19th, first white frost; thermometer 
o° R. above zero ; on the 20th, thermometer 2° R. above 
zero. Four hundred thousand pounds of sugar made. 
Windrowed forty arpents of cane, on the 20th and 21st. 
Light rain during night, on the 21st, and heavy rain on 
the 22d and 2od ; fair on the 24th ; northwest wind on 
the 25th; thermometer 2J° R. above zero; ice on the 
26th; thermometer li° R. below zero. Windrowed one 
' hundred arpents of cane, on the 26th and 27th. Ther- 
mometer 2i° R. below zero. Windrowed fifteen arpents 
more on the 28th. Thermometer 1° R. below zero. 
Resumed grinding on the 28th, in the evening. White 
frost on the 30th, and cloudy in the afternoon. 

December. Heavy rain on the 1st, from 3 h. A. m. until 



[ 120 ] 

9 h. A. M.; weather fair on the 2d, in the evening; wind 
northwest on the 3d ; thermometer zero ; on the 4th, ther- 
mometer 1° R. below zero ; weather fair and cold until 
the 6th ; warm on the 8th ; rain on the 9th and 10th, 
and on the 12th, before daybreak. Stopped grinding to 
clean boilers on the 12th, and resumed grinding in the 
evening, (six hundred and seventy-five thousand pounds 
of sugar made). On the 14th, thermometer 1° R. below 
zero; on the 15th, thermometer 1J° R. below zero ; the 
ice, in the shade, did not melt during the day ; ice on the 
16th, 17th, 18th, and ]9th; white frost and ice on the 
20th ; thermometer zero ; on the 20th, thermometer 2° 
R. below zero, and on the 22d, 3° R. below zero ; cloudy 
on the 24th, in the morning, and rain in the afternoon, 
and during the whole night. On the 25th, through cut- 
ting plant canes left standing ; (the canes, since a week, 
were being cut only two and a half feet long). Eighty 
arpents of canes, ground twenty-nine days after the freeze, 
gave, however, one hundred hogsheads of sugar ; eight 
hundred and sixty-two thousand pounds of sugar were 
made from the standing canes, thirty arpents of stubbles 
being abandoned. Fair on the 25th ; white frost on the 
26tli. Begun to grind windrowed canes, which make 
good sugar on the steam apparatus. Northeast wind on 
the 28tli. River up to its banks, and much driftwood. 
Rain on the 29th and 30th. Windrowed cane proved 
better than cane left standing, having been windrowed in 
time, the middle streak being white ; Mr. S. Roman, with 
canes windrowed on 28th November, cannot granulate ; 
his canes were green ; here made good sugar with canes 
windrowed on the same day, but ground fifteen days ear- 
lier; on the 9th January, following, Mr. S. Roman aban- 
dons canes windrowed, three days after the ice. they will 
not make sugar ; the heirs of Victorin Roman make good 
sugar on the 21st December, with canes windrowed on 
the 1st. 

1848. 

January. Rain on the 1st, in the morning. Stopped 



[ 121 ] 

grinding at 2 h. A. M., with nine hundred and forty thou- 
sand pounds of sugar made. Resumed grinding on the 
2d, at 1 h. A. M.; one hundred and ten arpents more of 
canes to grind. Fair on the 2d ; warm on the 7th and 
8th; north wind on the 9th. Grinding canes windrowed 
on the 21st November, which are making red sugar in 
open kettles, whilst in steam apparatus the sugar made 
was much better, forty-nine days after being windrowed, 
and worth two cents more per pound. Ice on the 10th; 
thermometer 2i° R. below zero; white frost on the 11th ; 
weather fair in the morning, on the 12th, warm and 
cloudy^during the day; it finally clears off in the evening. 
Through grinding on the 16th, at midday, making one 
million, one hundred and fifty-four thousand pounds of 
sugar, losing about one hundred and fifty thousand pounds. 
River very high on the 17th ; white frost on the 20th 
and 21st. Begun planting on the 21st. Fog and white 
frost on the 22d. River so high that an overflow is 
threatened, if it does not fall before spring. Light, misty 
rain on the 24th, in the evening; heavy rain during the 
night, and rain again almost the whole daj/ on the 25th. 
The hoes raking in and placing cane trash between the 
rows, on the 26th, 27th, and 28th. Too wet to plant, 
except in spots, on the 29th. Rain on the 30th, at 2 h. 
A. M. Hoes pulling cane trash in the water furrows on" 
the 31st. 

February. On the 1st, covered and buried cane trash 
on fifty arpents. Rain the whole day on the 2d ; rain on 
the 3d ; thin ice and heavy frost on the 7th ; weather 
fair ; white frost on the 8th. Through burying cane 
trash on the 16th. Weather fine and dry. Through 
planting on the 20th, two hundred and sixty arpents. 
Weather too dry. Begun plowing in plant canes on the 
21st, and in the evening begun shavins stubbles. The 
plant canes were not hoed, because they had been lightly 
covered. On the 21st, weather warm, thermometer 20° 
R. above zero, in the evening ; same temperature as in 
1834. Weather too dry, but since ten days it has been- 
10 



[ 122 J 

threatening rain ; on the 23d, weather turns cold, and a 
good rain fell at noon ; some rain on the 24th. 

March. On the 1st, river rose again to its former 
height. Rain on the 3d ; rain, during night, on the 4th; 
light white frost on the 8th ; cloudy on the 9th, and rain 
during the night; on the 10th, weather fair, with white frost; 
white frost on the 10th and 11th. The first canes planted 
a,nd hoed ten days ago, would be visible on the row, if 
their leaves had not been affected by white frost. White 
frost on the 13th and 14th. Through hoeing plant canes, 
for the first time, on the 18th, and through shaving stubbles 
on the 21st. A very heavy rain during half an hour, on 
the 22d. Plant canes, in new ground, marking the row. 
Stubbles are not up yet. Plowing for corn and peas, and 
sowing corn balance of month. 

April. On the 1st, plowing and hoeing plant canes, 
for the second time. Rain on the 5th, stopping the 
plows. Through weeding plant canes, for the second 
'time, on the 8th ; on the 14th, through grubbing stub- 
bles. Light north wind on the 14th ; north wind on the 
16th, with weather cold enough for fire in the morning. 
Begun third weeding in plant canes, on the 17th. The 
plows giving as many as seven furrows per row, in one 
hundred and thirty arpents of stiff ground. The hoe 
work is very slow. Light rain on the 21st, nearly all 
day, and heavier rain during the whole night. Hoeing 
and thinning corn on the 24th and 25th. Through work- 
ing plant canes, for the third time, on the 28th. Begun 
working stubbles, for the second time, on the 29th. Light 
rain on the 29th, most of the day, and rain again during 
the night. The ground is quite wet, but ditches were 
not filled. {In' 1844, stubbles marked the rows sooner, 
but the plant canes marked the row only in April, like the 
present year ; in 1844, the rainy weather commenced on 
the 10th of June, the canes, therefore, became grassy, 
but yielded two hogsheads of sugar to the arpent, on an 
average ; this year the rainy weather sets in at the com- 
mencement of June ; through laying-by this year, on the 



[123] 

6th of July, whilst in 1844, canes were laid-by only on the 
15th of July; canes, however, are not as large as in 
1844; the yield of canes this year, will probably be 

less) . 

May, On the 4th, begun plowing plant canes, for the 
fourth time, and begun hoeing them on the 5th. Through 
plowing and hoeing three hundred and fifty arpents stub- 
bles, for the second time, on the 5th. Begun hauling 
wood to back pasture, on the 6th. Through working 
plant cane, for the fourth time, on the 11th, and through 
working stubbles, for the third time, on the 22d. Begun 
to work plant cane, for the fifth time, on the 23d. Heavy 
rain on the 24th. Cutting weeds in back pasture, on the 
26th. Canes are of good color and have many suckers. 
Size of canes on the 26th; plant canes are from four to 
five feet ; only thirty-four arpents of stubbles are as good 
as the plant cane, though the stand is generally good ; 
through working plant canes, for the fifth time, on the 
28th. Begun working stubbles, for the fourth time, on 
the 29th. Rain on the 30th, in the evening; rain on 
the 31st. 

June, Rain on the 1st and 2d. Through weeding 
first peas sowed on the 3d. Rain also on the 7th; rain 
has set in on the 1st of June, as in 1835 and 1843, when 
the rains continued until September. Begun plowing 
plant canes, for the sixth time, on the 9th. Rain on the 
9th; the heaviest rain, in six months, on the 10th; rain 
on the 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th. 
Caterpillars have appeared everywhere, more or less; 
here they are not numerous. Light rain on the 21st. 
Begun laying-by plant cane on the 21st.. Rain on the 
23d. Through laying-by plant cane, with the plough, on 
the 26th. The plant canes, in general, very nearly 
screen the plowmen. Rain on the 28th and 30th. 

July. Rain on the 1st ; light rain on the 2d. Through 
laying-by plant canes, with the hoe, on the 6th. Begun 
hoeing stubbles, for the last time. Seventy hands hoe 
thirty arpents only, per day, much dirt being required. 



[124] 

On the Sth, no rain since a week. On the 12th seventy 
hands hoe sixty arpents of stubbles in one day, the work 
being easier. Through working stubbles on the 13th. 
Good rain and strong wind on the 15th, after a dry spell 
of fifteen da3'S. Hands employed chopping wood. Rain 
on the 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22d, 23d, 25th, 
26th, 27th and 28th. Cleaned ditches on the 26th, 27th, 
28'th and 29th. Repaired main plantation road on' the- 
31st, on which day a light rain. 

August. On the 1st, repairing roads. Sixty-five arpents 
of plant cane measure four feet seven inches, in joints. 
(In August, 1839, canes in the same ground, measuring 
four feet eleven inches, gave two and one-quarter hogs- 
heads to the arpent, whilst in August, 1842, canes again, 
in the same ground, and of the same length, yielded only 
one and one-half hogsheads of sugar to the arpent.) 
Through repairing roads on the 7th. The middle canal 
cleaned by the women, on the Sth. Unloading second 
coal boat, with women, on the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th. 
Shower on the 11th and 12th ; rain on the 16th, 17th 
and 18th ; cloudy on the 19th, and then rain, hurricane- 
like. The women employed cutting weeds in pasture on. 
the 18th and 19th. Rain on the 23d. Hauled wood on 
the 25th and 26th. Rain on the 26th, at 9 h. p. m.; 
another heavy rain on the 29 th, at 8 p. m. ; rain on the 
30th. 

Septemher. Gathering corn on the 1st. Light rain on 
the 1st and od ; cool north wind on the 7th. Cleaning 
of main sugar house pond on the 9th. Heav}^ rain on 
the 11th and 12th. Canes which measure six feet now, 
measured on the first days of August four feet seven 
inches, showing a growth of only seventeen inches during 
the month of August ; the growth in October was 
eighteen inches. A dwarf banana tree here gives a 
bunch of one hundred and fifty bananas, weighing forty- 
eight pounds. Strong wind and light rain on the 15th,. 
at midnight; cloudy on the 16th, but wind north ; on the 
17th wind north, weather fair; thermometer 13 i° R. 



[ 125 ] ' 

above zero. Begun making hay on the 16th. Rain on 
the 19th, preventing the storing of hay made so ' far ; 
light rain on the 20th ; on the 21st, wind northeast, cool 
weather; thermometer 13i° R. above zero. Resumed 
cutting hay. Thermometer 12-2° R. above zero on the 
22d ; on the 23d, east wind, weather cloudy. Five hun- 
dred cords of wood at the sugar house. Through cutting 
hay on the 25th, and through storing it on the 27th. 
Wind northwest on the 28th ; thermometer 12° R. above 
zero. Tnrough storing corn (three thousand six hundred 
barrels) on the 29th. On the 30th, begun to pick corn 
crop of plantation hands, the corn being unshocked 
before hauling. Strong wind on the 30th. 

Octoher. North wind on October 1st; thermometer 
8i° R. above zero; weather cold on the 2d and 3d. On 
the 6th, through gathering corn of plantation hands. 
Worked at plantation roads on the 7th, 8th, 9th and 
lOtii. Begun matlaying on the 11th. Through mat- 
laying on the 18th. Begun to cut canes for the mill on 
the 20th. Rain enough to lay the dust, in the morning, 
and with north wind in the evening. Begun grinding on 
the 23d. Light rain on the 25th, and warm weather; 
heavy rain on the 30thj the first of the kind since Sep- 
tember 12th, with a drought of forty-seven days. River 
so low as to leave water pipe of steam pump twenty-three 
feet above water, and at a distance of four hundred feet 
from the edge of water, thus necessitating the use of the 
Archimedes screw pump, which gives only thirteen inches 
of water in pond in ten hours. "Weather rather cold on 
the 30th. 

November. Northwest wind on the 1st; light frost; 
thermometer 5° R. above zero; on the 2d, white frost, with 
thermometer 4° R. above zero ; heavy rain before day 
and during day, more or less ; thin ice on the 5th ; ther- 
mometer 2° R. above zero; on the 6th, thermometer 
22° R. above zero; on the 7th and 8th, thermometer 4°R. 
above zero. One thousand four hundred and ninety-two 
cart loads of canes from thirty-four arpents of stubbles, 



[126] 

and from one hundred arpents of plant canes, planted at 
six and twelve feet, gave two hundeed and five thousand 
pounds of sugar. Weather warm on the 11th and 12th ; 
rain on the 17th all day, with weather cold ; on the 18th, 
weather cloudy and cold; thermometer zero E., on the 
19th ; 3° R. above zero on the 20th. Stopped grinding 
(three hundred and fifty-one thousand pounds sugar 
made.) Resumed grinding on the 20th. Weather cloudy 
and cold on the 23d, and rain during the night ; weather 
cold and fair on the 25th; on the 26th, thermometer li° 
R. above zero ; a thin ice which, in the shade, did not 
melt before midday ; on the 27th thermometer 3° R. 
above zero. (Planters having much cane to grind, would 
yet be able to windrow in time.) Stopped grinding on 
the 25th for the purpose of niatlaying more canes as a 
measnre of precaution. Four hundred and forty-four 
thousand pounds of sugar made. River has risen so much 
that the ordinary steam pump works well. River had 
rose four feet on the 30th ; weather cloudy. 

Decemher. On the 1st, rain at 3 h. A. M., and a little 
rain about midday, weather cold ; thermometer lh° R. 
above zero on the 2d. Stopped grinding, with five hun- 
dred and thirty-six thousand pounds of sugar made. 
AVeather cloudv on the 3d. Hauled extra wood for sugar 
house. Warm on the 4th and 5th, with south wind ; 
warm on the 7th ; rain on the 9th and 10th. Through 
grinding on the 13th, making six hundred and eighty- 
nine thousand pounds of sugar, which, being refined, gave 
four hundred and twenty-three thousand six hundred 
pounds of white sugar. Cleaning about sugar house on 
the 13th. The 14th, 15th, IGth, and 17th, were given as 
holidays to the plantation hands. On the ISth, river rose 
above level of batture. Begun opening furrows on the 
19th, and planting on the 21st. On the 23d, river up ta- 
the high banks. Cholera in New Orleans. Standing 
canes still good for seed on the 24tli. Rain the 25thy 
28th, and 29th ; fair on the 31st. 



L127] 

1849. 

January. White frost on the 1st and 2d ; weather fair. 
River still rising. Cloudy on the 4 th ; fair on the 5th ; 
cloudy on the 6th, p. m.; from the 7th to the 8th, rain 
during night, the 7th being cloudy all day. About one 
hundred arpents of canes planted. White frost on the 
8th. Chopping wood on the 9th and 10th. River still 
rising. Thin ice on the 11th. Planting canes on the 11th 
and 12th. Light rain on the 12th and 15th. The hoes 
raking and fixing cane trash in the old water furrows, on 
the 16th. Begun to bury cane trash on the 18th. Two 
hundred and five arpents of canes planted on the 20th. 
On the 23d, fair; 25th, cloudy; 26th, rain. River still 
rising, and is only ten inches lower than in 1844. 

February. Begun plowing plant canes on the^lst, and 
hoeing them on the 2d. Rain on the 4th, in the evening, 
with a north wind, which causes the river to wash over 
levees ; plantation hands at work on levees until midnight. 
Stubbles are all up ; plant canes only just coming up. 
Light rain on the 8th, more or less the whole day. River 
rose four inches, and washes over part of levees ; all the 
hands employed at work on levees, adding dirt on the top 
with hand barrows. River higher than in 1844. Work- 
ing on levees during the whole day, on the 9th, the hands 
adding one foot of dirt more on top. Rain the whole day, 
on the 10th. On the 11th, very strong north wind, 
causing river to wash over levees ; worked on levee half 
of the night; on the 12th and 13th, continued to work 
on levee. Sleet on the 14th, daring night ; on the 15th, 
sleet three-eighths of an inch thick ; thermometer 2° R. 
below zero; on the 17th and 18th, thermometer 3P R. 
below zero, and 6° R. below zero, when exposed in gar- 
den. From the 22d the river was as high as in 1828 ; 
crevasses below Pointe Coupee, and three miles further 
another crevasse, with a break of from three to four miles 
in width ; another crevasse at Brusl^ Landing, in Iber- 
ville ; the other crevasses which occurred on the planta- 
tions of Massicot, Breaux, and E. Fortier, were eventually 



[128] 

closed. Through working plant canes, for the first time, 
on the 23d. Begun planting corn, in new land, on the 
28th. 

March. On the 3d, planted corn between canes, at six 
and twelve feet. Digging ditches during five days. 
Planted corn, in new land, on the 8th. Stubbles which 
had been shaved with rattoon cutter, were hoed on the 
9th and 10th ; still shaving and hoeing stubbles on the 
12th and 13th. Preparing ground for peas, on the 14th 
and 15th. Weather very dry. Digging ditches on the 
16th and and 17th. Begun second weeding of plant canes 
on the 19th, and through on 25th. Digging main canal 
on the 22d and 28th. 

April. From the 3d to the 4th, a beneficial rain, the 
first since the 10th of February. On the 5th, the color 
of cane^ still indicates the effect of white frosts. Through 
T7eeding plant canes, for the third time, on the 13th, at 
midday, and then begun to work stubbles. Light rain on 
the loth, during the night. Plant canes on the 14th, 
hardly average three feet, some are four feet. Another 
light and cold rain, with north wind, early on the 15th. 
Biver has fallen eight inches up to date. Employing 
the plantation hands to lighten coal boat, and to secure 
it nearer shore. White frost on the 16th, thermometer 
3^ B. abovd zero ; ice reported. The leaves of canes and 
■corn are both affected. (In 1838, on the 19th of April, and 
on the 5th and 25th of May, the thermometer marked 5° 
B. above zero ; nevertheless, stubble canes yielded well, 
though they hardly marked the row, on the 16th of 
April). Light frost on the 17th ; weather cloudy on the 
19th ; north wind on the 20th, with light frost. Through 
working stubbles, for the second time, on the 23d. 
Drought unusual for the season. No rain of any account, 
fell since the 10th February. On the 21st, river had fallen 
only ten inches in all. Canes do not look healthy 
since the drought and recent frosts. Through grubbing 
stubbles on the 21st. (In 1844, drought prevailed from 
the 23d of January to the 2d of March, and from the 



1 129 ] 

15th of March to the 21st of May). Begun working 
plant canes, for the fourth time, on the 25th. Rain on 
the 26th, which does not interrupt work, but on the 27th, 
frain at midday, which stopped plowing, being the first of 
the kind. Planting peas on the 27th and 28th. Rain on 
the 28th, giving sufficient dampness to the ground for the 
time being. Plowing and planting peas on the 30th, also 
weeding canes. A fatal case of cholera at Gov. Roman's. 

May. Light rain on the 2d, and also on the 3d and 
4th, not interfering with plowing or hoeing. Crevasse 
at Sauve's on the 3d, in the eyening. Through weeding 
plant canes, for the fourth time, on the 4th, and begun 
plowing in the stubbles. Cane trash plowed in the fur- 
rows, not yet decayed. On the 4th, river still ten inches 
only below its highest water mark. Light rain on the 
4th and 6th, before day; heavy rain on the 7th. Crevasse 
reported opposite Donaldsonville, which was closed at 
once. Weeding, plowing and laying-by corn, in new land, 
on the 10th. Plowing and hoeing, for the fifth time, a 
portion of plant canes on the 14th. Rain on the 16th, 
preventing hoeing. Resumed plowing and hoeing on the 
17th. Weather cool, with an east wind, on the 19th 
and 20th. Through working stubbles, for the third time, 
on the 22d, and through working plant canes, for the 
fifth time, on the 26th. Size of canes with leaves, viz : 
Plant canes from five feet four inches to six feet eight 
inches, according to fertility of soils ; the stand of plant 
is not thick, but the suckers are good, and many forming 
under the ground. Crevasse at Tunisburg abandoned, 
after eight days work. The stubbles are of good size, 
and appear, in general, larger than the plant canes, 
because they are thicker. Plant canes, at this time, are 
larger than in 1844 ; stubbles are not as good ; plant 
canes, this year, coming nearer the plant canes of 1840, 
in their size than in their thickness on the row. In 1840 
they were planted at four feet ; this year they are at six 
-feet. Some of the canes, so situated as to have been 
hardly affected by the frost of the 17th of February, 



[130 ] 

though checked by the frost of the 16th of April, must 
be as forward as canes were in 1827 and 1828 at the 
same date. Begun plowing plant canes, for the sixth 
time, on the 25th. Rain %t noon on the 26th, which 
does not interrupt plowing or hoeing ; on the 27th, strong 
north wind in the evening, and rain from midnight until 
3 h. A. M. Through plowing plant canes in old ground,, 
for the sixth time, on the 31st. Crevasse at Mr. Lepre- 
tre, below the city. 

Jime. Plowing and harrowing stubbles, in old land, 
on the 1st ; also stubbles, in nevr land, to which some 
dirt is thrown. Through plowing stubbles, for the fourth 
time, on the 3d. Rain on the 4th, at noon, and also 
during the night. Weeding and plowing corn and peas 
on the 5th. River two feet below highest water mark on 
the 8th. Through laying-by, with the plow, plant canes 
in new ground, on the 11th, Bedding up stubbles, in 
new ground, on the 13th, 14th and l§th. Rain on the 
16th. Stubbles, in new land, were so grassy that fifty 
hoes could only clean twenty arpents per day. Laying- 
by plant canes, in old land, on the 18th, 19th and 20th. 
River is twenty-eight inches lower than in March. 
Through laying-by plant canes on the 20th. Rain on 
the 21st. Plowing and weeding peas on the 22d and 
23d. Through plowing stubbles on the 27th. Through 
plowing and hoeing peas on the 29th. On the 29th, rain 
at midnight. It seldom rains, in summer, during liight. 
Weeding corn on the 30th. Portion of plant and stubble 
canes require some more work to clear them of bind- 
weeds. Two samples of cane (stubble) measure three 
feet eight inches, and four feet, respectively — as large as 
in 1844. 

July. On the 2d, the hoes weeding. Rain on the 2d, 
3d, and 4th. Weeding on the 6th. Rain on the 7th, 
and plowing stubbles, which screen the plowmen and 
teams on the 7th ; rain on the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th, 
and also during the night of the 11th, until the next 
day of the 12th; rain on the 13th, and 14th, 15th and 



[131 J 

16th, on which worked on roads. On the 18th, the whole 
gang at the hoe, in canes, until 4 h. p. m., at which hour 
another rain fell. Rain on the 19th. Worked on the 
levee on the 20th. Rain on the 21st, 22d, 23d, 24th, 
25th and 26th. On the 27th, hoed cane, although ground 
too wet. Road leading to the river is so bad, that only 
two hogsheads of sugar can be hauled at a time. Rain 
on the 29th. 

August. Rain on the 1st. The women weeding canes.. 
Very light rain on the 7th. Weeded one hundred and 
fifty arpents of canes on the 9th and 10th. An Otahitjr 
cane, in new ground, measures six feet two inches. 
Bending corn on the 11th. On the 12th, river rose one- 
foot ; at same height as on the 1st of July. Canes are 
large and of fine color. Cleaning ditches on the 13th 
and 14th. Hoed twenty-four arpents of canes, with the 
women, on the 16th. Rained on the 16th. Cleaned 
main canal on the 18th. Rain on the 18th. (Red River 
overflows and causes much destruction). Begun hauling 
wood into back pasture. Ribbon cane, six feet seven 
inches, and Otahity cane, six feet four inches. On the 
20th, rain, and rain also on the 21st, 23d, 24th and 25th. 
River having receded, is now at its former level. 
Through chopping wood for the present crop (one thou- 
sand five hundred cords). The women working on levee 
since a week. Rain on the 26th. Cutting weeds on the 
27th, and repairing roads on the 28th ; rain on the 28thy 
29th, 30th and olst. Worked to levee on 31st. 

September. Weather cool on the 1st, in the evening. 
Gathered nine hundred and fifty barrels corn. On the 
7th, in the evening, wind north. Stopped chopping 
wood, (which was cut for next year). Some plant canes 
measure seven feet one and one-half inch, on the 7th. 
Thermometer 13° R. above zero, on the 8th. Cutting 
hay with the whole gang. Boiling water sugar. 
Thermometer 15° R. above zero, on the 9th. Cleaning 
main pond. Resumed hauling wood from the forest into 
back pasture, on the 10th. One hundred and twenty-four 



[132] 

■cart loads of hay stored on the 12th. On the 13th, a 
thin misty rain, by intervals, and which interrupted hay 
making, in lieu of which, gathered corn ; strong east and 
northeast wind on the 13th, 14th and 15th, with a flood- 
ing rain on the 15th, from 11 h. A. m. to 5 h. p. m. The 
road and ground under dwelling house, are under water. 
The wind blows down a great deal of the canes, and the 
rain will probably spoil the hay made in the field. Rain 
on the 16th. Worked to roads, on the 16th, 17th and 
18th. Occasional light showers on the 17th ; weather 
warm on the 18th. Resumed hay cutting on the 22d. 
Cool on the 23d ; fair on the 24th. Through cutting hay 
on the 26th. Weather cloudy. Through storing hay on 
the 27th (four hundred and twenty-one cart loads). (A 
load of hay weighs seven hundred and nine pounds). 
Begun to pick corn of plantation hands, on the 28th, 
29th, 30th. Rain on the 29th and 30th, at 10 h. A. m. 

October. Rain on the 1st, 2d, and 5th, on which day 
gathered corn ; on the 6th, weather changing to cold, 
with light rain, at 7 h. a. m.; weather cool and fair on 
the 7th. Carts hauling wood and corn. (A cord of forest 
wood, chunks three and a half feet long, forty days after 
being cut, weighs three thousand two hundred and seventy 
pounds ; a cord of dry river wood, four feet long, four feet 
three inches high, and eight and a half feet long, weighs 
two thousand four hundred and eighty pounds). Through 
gathering corn of plantation hands on the 8th. Wind 
northwest on the 8th ; thermometer 8° R. above zero, at 
6 h. a. M. Hauling wood to sugar house on the 9th ; 
thermometer 8° R. above zero. Begun matlaying on the 
9th. On the 10th, thermometer 8i° R. above zero, and 
on the 11th 9° R. above zero; weather mild and cloudy 
on the 12th ; very cloudy on the 13th, in the forenoon, 
but cool and ffiir in the afternoon. An orange from Mr. 
J. Roman's place, measured thirteen and one-quarter 
inches in circumference. Through matlaying on the 13th, 
Hauled two thousand six hundred barrels coal on the 
.14th. Heavy rain on the 15th, in the morning. On the 



[ 133 ] 

16th, the hands were allowed that day to rest. North- 
west wind on the 17th; thermometer 9^^ R. above zero. 
Begun to cut cane for the mill. A light rain on the 18th ;. 
fair on the 20th. Begun grinding on the 21st ; cane juice 
weighs only 6° B., but next day it weighs 7° B., using 
sixty cubic inches of lime, and making good sugar on the 
first day, but on the next day the sugar made is sticky 
and gummy ; it must be melted and re-cooked ; on the 
third day quality of sugar is better, and the fourth day 
the sugar is pretty fair. Stopped grinding on the 27th, 
with eighty-eight thousand five hundred pounds of sugar 
made. Resumed giinding, sugar made is better; cane 
juice weighing 8° B. Weather very fine on the 29th, 
with wind northwest. Stopped grinding to repair ma- 
chinery ; (one hundred and thirty-two arpents of stubbles 
yielded one hundred and ninety-five thousand pounds of 
sugar). Begun to grind together, plant canes of new 
ground, and stubbles of old ground ; the juice is not, how- 
ever, much improved; using sixty cubic inches of lime in 
the juice. (A cartload of canes weighs two thousand two 
hundred and fifty-one pounds); the cane cut for the mill. 
(N. B. Mr. Aime's carts, at the time, must have been 
small, for, later, a cartload of cane weighed twenty-eight 
hundred pounds). Made three hundred and forty thou- 
sand pounds of sugar, with two hundred and thirty arpents 
of canes, of which one hundred and thirty-five arpents 
were of six and twelve feet. 

November. Cloudy and warm on the 5th ; fair on the 
6th ; white frost on the 7th ; cloudy on the 11th ; fair on 
the 12th; cloudy on the 16th; light rain on the 17th, 
with north wind. (Thirty-five arpents of plant canes, in 
new ground, and fifty-five arpents of stubbles, ground 
together, gave one hundred and fifty thousand pounds of 
sugar). Stopped grinding on the 17th; three hundred 
and fifty-five thousand pounds of sugar made ; fifteen 
thousand pounds being made per day. 19th, fair; 20th, 
warm ; 21st, rain. Stopped grinding on the 21st to repair 
machinery. 22d and 23d, cloudy ; 24th, heavy rain at 



[134 j 

midnight. Fifty-four arpents of stubbles yielded over 
two thousand pounds of sugar to the arpent. 26th, fair, 
with light frost ; thermometer 5° R. above zero ; on the 
27th, thermometer 4° R. above zero, but the foggy weather 
neutralized white frost; weather cloudy on the 29th, and 
rain on the 30th. 

Decemher. 1st, heavy rain; stopped grinding, with 
five hundred and thirty thousand pounds of sugar. 3d, 
northwest wind, thermometer 2i° R. above zero; 4th, 
fair; 7th, cloudy; rain on the 8th and 9tli; on the 10th, 
northwest wind, thermometer, zero ; on the 11th, ther- 
mometer 1° R. above zero, wind northeast; the 12th, 
weather cold ; 13th and 14th, weather cloudy. Stopped 
grinding on the 14th to haul wood, having made seven 
hundred and ten thousand pounds of sugar. Rain 
before day on the 15th and during the whole day ; 
18th, hauling wood ; 19th and 20th, warm and cloudy, 
trifling rain. River just below batture. Northwest wind 
on the 22d ; white frost on the 23d ; canes appear and 
look as green as in the beginning of the fall on the 26th; 
weather rather warm on the 27th; cloudy on the 28th 
and 29th; light cold rain on the 30th, wind north at 4 
h. P. M. Stopped grinding in the evening, nine hun- 
dred and sixteen thousand pounds of sugar made. 
On the 30th, cutting canes with fifty hired hands, 
in order to have my hands for unloading coal boat 
of a portion of the load, to float it nearer the shore. On 
the 31st weather cold; thermometer li° R. below zero. 
Coal boat was secured nearer shore only on the 2d of 
January, 1850, river having risen then four inches. On the 
28th a crevasse on the right side of river, overflowing the 
rear of Mr. Fagot's plantation ; the crevasse widened to 
30 arpents. Two thousand pounds of plant canes gave 
one thousand two hundred and sixty pounds of juice and 
seven hundred and forty pounds of bagasse (sixty-three 
per cent.), when the mill is tightly screwed up. Mr. 
Lapice, however, obtains seventy per cent. His canes 
pass through a mill making four revolutions per minute, 
and with a moderate feed on the carrier. 



[ 135 ] 

1850. 

January. Resumed grinding on the 2d, in the evening, 
cloiidy on the 3d ; on the 4th, north wind ; the 5th 
cloudy. Through grinding on the 6th, in the evening; 
ten hundred thousand pounds of sugar made. Rain on 
the 6th and 7th. The plantation hands had three days 
of rest, that is, the 7th, 8th and 9th. Resumed plan- 
tation work on the 10th ; commenced opening furroughs 
on the 12th. Rain on the 13th. Planting begun on the 
14th, in the evening ; seed cane very good. Rain on the 
18th, until noon ; rain on the 19th and heavily on the 
20th ; rain light on the 21st. Planting on the 24th and 
25th. River is thirty inches lower than last year at the 
same date. Rain during the night of the 25th. Chopping 
wood on the 26th. On the 27th, heavy rain; 28th rain. 
River two feet lower than last year at the same date. 
Cutting new ditches wherever needed. Begun opening 
furrows and planting on the 30th, in the afternoon. 

Fehruary. On the 1st, rain during night ; rain on the 
2d, until midday ; wind north, the 3d ; thermometer zero, 
R. Standing cane were still good for seed, the day pre- 
vious, at Mrs. Trudeau's. On the 4th, thermometer 1° R. 
below zero. Unable to plant until 10 o'clock a. m. 
Through making furrows on the 4th. Only one hundred 
and thirty arpents of canes planted on the 8th. Rain 
during the whole day ; north wind, and weather fair the 
9th. The hoes raking and placing cane trash in water 
furrows, to cover them in ultimately. The 10th, planted 
only eleven arpents. Thirty-five hands being required to 
unshock canes in mats. The 12th, planted until midday. 
Rain during the whole afternoon ; light rain the 13th ; 
cold on the 14th ; heavy white frost on the 15th ; 
cloudy on the 21st and 22d ; on the 23d rain. Seven 
arpents only can be planted per day, from the 15th to 
the 23d, owing to bad seed cane. Rain on the 24th. 
Lining stubbles on the 26th. Planted canes the 27th and 
28th. 

March. Planting on the 1st and 2d ; but seed cane so 
bad that planting is short ; (only two hundred and eighty 



L136] 

arpents planted). Begun plowing in plant canes on the 
4th. The gang of laborers employed spreading or scat- 
tering cane trash from mats, for the purpose of burnijig. 
Scraping plant canes with the hoes behind the plows, on 
the 5th. Warm and cloudy on the 4th and 5th ; on the 
6th, a strong gust of wind, with a light rain. River 
higher in Pointe Coupee and Bayou Sara, then in 1849 ; 
but in New Orleans and St. James, it was fifteen and a 
half inches lower than in 1849. Worked spading in 
cross- ditches. Through plowing plant canes on the 18th. 
Begun plowing stubbles on the 19th, and hoeing them on 
the 20th. Through scraping on the 19th. White frost 
on the 24th. Canes, in the rear of plantation, slightly 
frost bitten. The earliest canes planted are almost suf- 
ficiently thick on the row, on the 26th ; others mark the 
row, notwithstanding the drought which begun on the 
24th of February, and lasted until the 26th of March, 
when rain fell before day until 11 h. A. m. the next morn- 
ing. Both plant and stubble canes are slightly frost 
bitten in rear of plantation. Crevasses on False River, 
and West Baton Rouge. Weather cold the 27th. Plant- 
ing corn. Cloudy and white frost the 28th ; those two 
last colds affected stubbles. Thermometer fell to zero. 

April. River fell one foot on the 1st, from its highest 
water mark. Rain on the 2d, by intervals, from day- 
break until 10 h. A. M. The work to discharge two coal 
boats (of eight thousand six hundred and fifty barrels), 
took four and a half days, merely to lighten them and to 
secure them nearer show. Through plowing in stubbles, 
on the 3d. Plowing for peas the 4th, 5th and 6th. Rain 
before day on the 11th, and during the day, by intervals. 
Through shaving and grubbing stubbles on the 11th. 
Planting peas on the 12th. Begun the loth, to work 
plant canes with plows and hoes ; sixty -five arpents 
plowed, and sixty arpents hoed per day. Through work- 
ing plant canes for the second time, on the 19th. Begun 
weeding stubbles on the 20th, for the second time ; they 
had been plowed on the 18th. Rain on tlie 24th. Plant- 



[ 13T ] 

ing peas on the 25th, and chopping wood. On the 26th, 
cutting weeds. The 27th, plowed and hoed stubbles. 
Rctin during night. Crevasse at Mrs. Z. Trudeau's, on the 
27th, closed seven days after; crevasse at Mr. R. De- 
logny's, on the 29th, closed the next day; it was occasioned 
by the caving in of the banks. 

May. Stopped hoeing stubbles on the 2d, at noon, to 
weed plant canes, for the third time, the plow work 
having previously been given. Rain on the 3d and 4th ; 
on the 5th, wind north ; cool on the 6th. Plowing stub- 
bles and plant canes with twenty plows. On the 8th, at 
3 h. A. M., a terrific west wind and rain, lasting until 10 
h. A. M., causing much destruction from Donaldson to 
New Orleans. NichoU's sugar house and others blown 
down. Replacing corn and cutting weeds in back pasture 
on the 8th. Weeding: plant canes on the 9th, and also 
hoeing stubbles, though ground too wet. Cloudy on the 
11th, in the morning, and rain in the evening, with sleet 
and a northwest wind blowing with extreme violence ; 
several sugar houses were blown down ; a very heavy 
rain on the night of the 12th to the 13th ; light rain on 
the 13th. Sixty-five arpents of peas under water for a 
whole day. Increasing width of middle canal, on the 
14th. Plowing in plant canes on the 15th, and hoed 
them the 16th. Through working plant canes, for the 
third time, on the 18th. From four to five miles of 
crevasse between Concordia and Baton Rouge. Begun 
the fourth weeding of plant canes on the 20th. Through 
plowing plant canes, for the fourth time, on the 22d. 
Begun plowing stubbles on the 23d, for the third time, 
and weeding them on the 25thj also for the third time. 
Rain wanted ; weather too dry. River stationary since 
two months, and three feet lower than in 1849. Ox 
carts hauling wood from the forests. On the 27th canes 
had improved. Some plant canes four feet eight inches ; 
some stubbles are, perhaps, five feet high. Too dry on 
the 28th ; a rain on the 30th, wetting the ground one 
inch. Through plowing stubbles, for the third time, on 
11 



[138] 

the 30th. Begun plowing plant canes, for the fifth time, 
on the 31st. 

June. Stopped the plows on the 3d, employing the 
whole gang of laborers at the hoe. Through hoeing 
stubbles, for the third time, on the 7th, and then cleaned 
middle canal. Resumed plowing on the 7th ; through 
plowing plant canes on the 8th. Resumed plowing stub- 
bles, for the fourth time, on the 10th. Resumed the fifth 
weeding of plant canes on the 10th. River six inches 
higher in Pointe Coupee than in 1849, but three feet 
lower here, owing to crevasses from Concordia to Baton 
Rouge ; the breaks in levees, at those places, measuring 
from four to five miles wide. Light rain on the 11th 
and 12th. Sowing peas, where missing, on the 13th and 
14th. Heavy rain on the 14th, at 9 h. A. M. until 4 h. 
p. M. Cutting weeds in pastures. Rain on the 15th, at 
noon, and cleaning cross ditches in the afternoon ; the 
16th, a heavy rain, injuring the peas so much as to compel 
the replanting of the same on the 24th.' Ridging up 
stubbles in new land, the grass being covered over on the 
18th. All the plantation hands working at the hoe on 
the 19th and 20th. Hoed eighty arpents in one day, and 
forty-eight arpents another day. Rain at noon on the 
20th. Worked stubbles on the 21st. Through working 
plant canes, on the 22d, for the fifth time. Rain on the 
24th, and rain every day until the end of June. 

July. Rainy weather during the first days of July, 
but the hoes at work on the 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th and 9th. 
Heavy rain on the 10th. until noon. (Being absent from 
home, no more notes of the weather were taken.) Rain 
the 18th. Through plowing, and the crop laid-by, on 
the 20th. On the 22d stubbles, in old ground, were high 
enough to screen laborers almost everywhere. Plant 
canes irregular in height. Some rain is needed on the 
25th to allow a good work, with the hoe, for the last 
time. Light rain the 25th and 26th ; not sufficient rain 
yet ; weather excessively warm. Chopping wood the 
25th, and cutting twenty-eight to thirty-three cords per 
day. 



L139] 

August. The women have dug new canal in nine 
days, also widening another. The weather intensely hot 
on the 3d. Some fatal cases of sunstroke reported in 
New Orleans. Weather too dry; rain the 17th, The 
women employed to widen canal in negro quarter. In- 
creasing height of levee near saw mill. Rain on the 
26t'h. Spading canal. 

September. Weather too dry ; only two days in August 
rainy. Stopped the cutting of wood ; there will be about 
seven hundred cords left for next year. Rain on the 7th, 
at midday, with strong claps of thunder, and rain, also, 
in the afternoon. Begun cutting hay the 10th. Weather 
still dry and favorable to hay making. Three hundred 
and thirty cart loads of hay stored on the 16th. The 
19th, the stock has to be watered at the river. Stopped 
hauling hay to break the balance of corn (one thousand 
five hundred barrels altogether) on the 22d. Very great 
drought. Through storing hay (four hundred and two 
Joads). Cloudy the 27th; wind and a light rain the 
28th, which hardly lays the dust, 

Octoher. Morning cool on the 1st, with wind east ; in 
the evening wind north. Begun picking corn of planta- 
tion hands on the 2d. The 4th cloudy and little rain ; 
5th cloudy and strong wind. Worked to public road. 
On the 6th, breaking corn of plantation hands. Weather 
fair and wind north. The wells are all dry. Through 
gathering corn of plantation hands the 7th. Weather 
quite mild on the 8th. Through working to the public 
road. The 17th cloudy, and trifling rain; northwest 
wind on the 19th; on the 20th, thermometer 6° R. above 
zero ; weather still very dry. Stock has to be watered 
at the river. On the 21st, foggy, cool; thermometer 6° 
R, above zero; fog, and weather cold, on the 22d; ther- 
mometer 1° R. above zero ; warm and cloudy on the 
24th, in the morning ; very cloudy towards the north, 
and drops of rain in the evening; on the 25th, weather 
cold and still dry ; thermometer 2° R. above zero. Begun 
cutting canes for the mill. Thin ice on the 26th, which 



[UO] 

affected cane tops in the rear. Canes of a thin stand are 
now unfit for seed ; elsewhere the eyes of canes are good, 
even thirty arpents in the rear of sugar house. A con- 
siderable caving in or land slide of the river banks at 
^ Governor Roman's. On the 27th, thermometer 6° R. 
above zero. 29th, the first canes matlayed are already 
half spoiled. Begun grinding on the 30th. Cane juice 
weighs 9° B. Air pumps of vacuum pans in refinery not 
operating well ; new valves required. 

November. On the 1st, weather warm ; 2d, cloudy. 
Water must be pumped from the river. Weather still 
dry on the 6th. (Rains had ceased on the 18th of July ; 
rain then fell on the 17th and 26th of August, and also 
on the 7th of September, but the ground being too dry, 
the stock had to be watered at the river since the 19th 
of September). Stopped grinding on the 6th, for want of 
canes; resumed grinding on the 6th, at midnight. Warm 
on the 7th; on the 8th, wind north; 9th, thermometer 
5° R. above zero. Stopped grinding on the 9th, in the 
evening, with one hundred and forty thousand pounds of 
sugar made, from one hundred and seventeen arpents of 
stubbles, burning two hundred cords of wood to boil the 
same. A very light rain on the 15th ; north wind the 
16th. Stopped grinding on the 16th, at 3 h. p. m.; two 
hundred and thirty-eight thousand pounds of sugar made, 
with about one hundred and eighty-three arpents of 
canes. Ice on the 17th5 thermometer zero; ice did not 
melt in the shade until 11 h. A. m. One hundred and 
ten hands windrowed seventy-eight arpents of canes, on 
the 17th. Ice on the 18th, thermometer zero, under gal- 
lery. Windrowed fifty arpents of canes, and left two 
hundred and seventy-seven arpents standing. Canes 
frozen to the ground. The thermometer, when exposed 
in the garden, fell to li° R. below zero, on the 18th. (In. 
1838, on the 10th and 17th of November, the ice, with 
thermomemter 1'^ R. below zero, only froze the cane at 
the top, one foot below the sheathing leaves, and canes, 
which were windrowed as late as the 30th of November, 



[ 141 J 

made then good sugar). This year, many planters who 
had not matlayed before the 18th. on account of the 
drought, have lost their seed cane ; this is more generally 
the case in St. Charles, and below New Orleans. Re- 
sumed grinding on the 19th, in the morning; a pretty 
good shower during the night, giving water for stock for 
a day or two. Light white frost on the 29th and 30th. 

December. Weather warm from the 1st to the 4th; 
cold and damp on the 5th ; weather very cold on the 7th ; 
some snow falling ; thermometer 2° R. below zero, in the 
afternoon; on the 8th, thermometer 83° R. below zero, 
under gallery, but outside of gallery 6° R. below zero. 
The canes being hard frozen, planters are compelled to 
stop grinding. On the 9th, thermometer outside of gal- 
lery 4° R. below zero; on the 10th, thermometer 2° R. 
below zero, and on the llth, 11° R below zero ; weather 
moderated on the 12th. Through cutting standing canes 
at midday, and through grinding them on the 13th. With 
canes left standing. Governor Roman makes good sugar 
on the llth. Cane juice appears bad, but sugar made, 
is, however, good ; using one-half gallon bi-sulphite of 
lime, per clarifier, on thirty-eight clarifiers; abandoned 
the use of bi-sulphite, on account of the syrup not run- 
ning out through filters with enough facility. Stopped 
grinding on the 14th, in the evening, and resumed on the 
15th, at midnight. Light rain on the 20th, 21st, and 
22d. Through cutting and hauling canes on the 22d, 
and through grinding on the 23d, with seven hundred 
thousand pounds of sugar. Weather fair the 23d and 
24th ; cold and cloudy on the 25th, and a thin rain in 
the afternoon. On the 26th and 27th, rain night and 
day ; fair on the 28th ; the 29th Cloudy, and sleet falling 
■considerably during the night, with rain, which began to 
fall at 6 o'clock A. m.; sleet visible until 10 h. A. m.; a thin, 
<jold rain on the 30th ; ice the 31st, with white frost and 
fair weather. 

1851. 

January. Cloudy in the morning of the 1st, with a 
light, drizzling rain, from 9 h. A. m., and continue to fall 



[ 142 ] 

steadily until the 2d, at daybreak, but clearing up on the 
2d, at 9 h. A. m., with fair weather the rest of the day. 
Worked with soades on canal. Ice. with white frost, ou 
the 3d. Begun to open furrows on the 3d, at noon. Ice 
on the 4th. Begun planting on the 5th; canes much 
spoiled ; twenty -four arpents of matlayed canes planted 
only twelve arpents. Weather cloudy on the 6th, but 
clear on the 7th ; rain on the 9th, before day. Planting 
on the 10th, and rain in the evening ; one arpent of cane 
tops plant only one-half arpent, and, in some cases, only 
one-quarter of an arpent ; forty arpents of cane tops 
planted only twelve arpents ; no positive advantage in 
saving cane tops for seed, as ice, or a temperature of 3 to 
4° R. below zero, always spoils them, besides, the process 
of planting them is too slow. Fair, and white frost on 
the loth and 14th. On the 15th, river had already fallen 
two and a half feet. Cloudy, and cold northeast wind on 
the 17th. 18th, one hundred and forty arpents of canes- 
planted altogether. Weather warm, and light rain on the 
22d, 23d, 24th, and 25th. Planting has not been inter- 
rupted. 27th and 28th, warm ; north wind on the 29 thy 
at 4 h. A. M.; ice on the 30th ; on the 31st, very coldy 
wind northeast. 

Fehraari/. Strong south wind on the 1st ; weather 
damp, and a light rain in the morning. Through plant- 
ing on the 2d (planted one hundred and eighty-seven 
arpents). On the 3d, a misty rain all day. Digging 
cross-ditches and levellino; uTound in flower garden. Be- 
gun plowing stubbles on the 4th, and in plant canes on 
the 5th. On the 6th, fog and white frost ; 7th, wind 
south ; 8th, wind east; 0th, rain ; fair on the 10th, 11th 
and 12th. River begins to rise. Rain on the loth, 14th 
and 15th ; wind north on the 16th; light rain on the 
19th, which does not stop plows and hoes in plant canes;- 
20th, rain in the morning, stopping plow and hoe work. 
22d, planting corn, and also on the 25th. Quite warm 
on the 24th, 25th and 26th. River has risen three feet. 
Two bunches of bananas grown here, one having one 



[143] 

hundred and ninety-five bananas, and the other two hun- 
dred and three bananas. On the 28th, ice visible in ves- 
sels, l)ut not on the ground. Through plowing plant 
canes on the 28th. 

March. On the 1st, through hoeing plant cane. Stub- 
bles, in new ground, ^re fairly out. Plant canes hardly 
visible on the 3d. A neighboring planter, who had« 
shaved his stubbles three weeks ago, have them marking 
the row well. On the place here, stubbles first shaved, 
are coniing up. Heavy frost and thin ice on the 4th ; the 
ice though thinner than on the 28th, however, affected 
canes. Through plowing stubbles on the 6th. Rain on 
the 6th, from 10 h. A. m. to 10 h. p. m., being the heaviest 
rain since August, 1850. River twenty-five inches lower 
than in 1849, at same date. Through shaving stubbles 
on the 10th, Hoed one hundred and thirty arpents of plant 
canes in old ground, for the second time, on the 11th and 
12th. On the 11th, river had risen twelve inches in 
six days. 13th, light rain in the evening. 14th, pro- 
tecting a part of the levee with fascine works. River 
rose four inches from the 17th to the 18th ; river washing ^^■ 
over levee at Gov. Roman's. 19tli, light white frost. 
24th, wind north. Through hoeing plant canes, in new 
ground, for the second time, on the 24th. On the 26th, 
river as high as in 1849. Crevasses at Dr. Gourier's. 
Gordon's, Doyle's and widow Trudeau's ; this last was 
closed at once. Rain on the 27th, being the first since 
the 6th. One hundred and twenty-eight arpents of stub- 
bles, in old land, already grubbed. Replacing corn and 
thinning the same ; the ground being too wet to grub 
stubbles. All the plant canes marking the row, more or 
less ; and stubbles are well up and mark the row every- 
where. River one inch higher than in 1849, on the 27th, 
and on the 28th, four inches higher than 1849, but fell 
two inches on the 29th. Crevasses opposite Baton Rouge 
and at Mr. Lacoste's. Grubbing stubbles on the 29th. 
30th, cloudy, and light rain. Begun third weeding of 
plant canes on the 31st. Rain during night the 31st. 



[144] 

April. 1st, rain. Planted peas. On the 3d, 4th and 
5th plowed one hundred and thirt}^ arpents of peas. Rain 
on the 5th at noon. River fell six inches on the 6th. 
Through planting peas on the 7th. Raining a sort of 
mist until 9 o'clock in the evening, and then a heavy rain 
until 10 h. P. M., with thunder and lightning; weather 
cloudy and cold on the 8th, wind slightly north. Plant 
canes are not thick on the row, but regular. One hun- 
dred and twenty-eight a.rpents of good stubbles in the 
old ground, but the others are poor. Hoeing stubbles on 
the 9th ; wind cool, northeast. Through weeding plant 
canes on the 14th, for the third time. 15th, plowing and 
hoeing stubbles for the third time. 16th, begun to plow 
and hoe plant canes in old ground for the fourth time ; 
through working them on the 19th. River has fallen 
fourteen inches from its highest water-mark. 20th, 
oloudy, light rain; 21st, fair, northeast; 22d, wind and 
rain in the morning, and rain stopping work at 4 h. p. M ; 
23d, rain ; 24th, light rain during day, and at night, at 
11 o'clock, with thunder. Sowed peas. 25th, chopping 
wood and cutting weeds on batture, with the women. 
26th, very fair, with wind north. 

May. North wind on the 1st. Begun plowing plant 
canes, in old ground, for the fifth time, on the 3d. Heavy 
rain on the 4th, until noon ; fiiir and cold in the 
afternoon ; on the 5th, same weather continues. Sowed 
peas. Begun hoeing plant canes, for the fifth time, on 
the 6th. Strong wind and rain during the night. 
Through plowing plant canes, in old ground, for the fifth 
time, on the 8th. A heavy shower from the 8th to the 
9th, during night. Plowing corn on the 10th. Cloudy 
on the 17th and 18th; a shower on the 18th and 19th, 
the rain stopping the plows and hoes in the afternoon of 
the 19th. The two coal boats reached the plantation, 
and paid two hundred dollars to unload them. Plowing 
and hoeing corn on the 20th. Through fifth weeding of 
plant canes, on the 22d, and begun the sixth weeding of 
canes, in old ground, on the 23d. Size of plant canes, in 



[145] 

new ground, from four feet six inches, to five feet six 
inches; and in old ground, about four feet, and color not so 
good where there had been no peas. Stubbles, in new land, 
are fine, and in old land, they measure about four feet 
«ix inches with the leaves stretched up. There are one 
hundred and fifty arpents of stubbles of so thin a stand, 
that they will hardly plant the same extent of ground. 
Through plowing and hoeing plant canes, in old ground, 
for tlie sixth time, on the 26th. Weeding corn, in new 
land, on the 27th and 28th. Begun plowing stubbles on 
the 29th, for the fourth time. River rises some on the 
:28th, 29th and 30th. Through hoeing the thin stubbles, 
for the third time, on the 30th. Begun fourth weeding, 
in stubbles, on the 31st. One of the coal boats leaking; 
all hands are unloading it. Five men, from Pittsburg, 
unloaded the other coal boat of three thousand seven 
hundred and fifty barrels, in nine and a half days. 

June. On the 1st, through plowing and hoeing, for 
the fourth time, one hundred and thirty arpents stubbles, 
in old land. Harrowing plant cane of old ground, on the 
2d ; hoeing plant cane, in old ground, for the seventh 
time, on the 6th. River rises again a Itttle on the 6th, 
7th, laying-by, with plow and hoe, thirty-five arpents of 
stubbles and twenty-five arpents of plant cane, both in 
new land. Plowing in peas ; the ground is exceedingly 
hard. During several days, a great number of dead fishes 
are seen drifting down the river ; the same thing wit- 
nessed on the Atchafalaya Bayou and Red River; cause 
unknown. A very light rain in front of plantation. 
News reached here that the upper Mississippi, at Dubuque 
and Galena, overflows and causes more destruction than 
in 1844. The Wabash river overflows also. Cloudy on 
the 9th, with wind north and a few drops of rain ; wea^ 
ther still dry. Cutting weeds in pastures the 10th and 
11th. Weeding and hilling up peas, but work is rough, 
the ground being too dry, on the 12th, 13th and 14th, 
and also cleaned middle canal. On the 14th, the river 
here, is five feet lower than highest water mark. Haul- 



[146] 

ing coal from the river banks, on the 15th. Plowing 
thin stubbles on the 16th. Through plowing and hoeing 
plant cane, in old ground, on the 23d, this being the 
eight plowing. 23d, bending corn. Three feet of water 
over basement of stores, on levee, in St. Louis. Hauling 
wood on the 24th. Stock had to be watered at the river, 
since the 20th. A good, but partial rain on the 27th. 
Sowed peas on the 30th. Plowed again one hundred and 
thirty arpents of plant cane, in old land. 

July. On the 1st, plowed eighty-five arpents of corn, 
and one hundred and thirty-six arpents of thin stubbles, 
and sowed peas in stubbles. 2d, chopping wood. 3d, rain, 
which causes the peas to sprout out. The plowing is 
over for this year, on the 4th. Begun cleaning leading 
ditches on the 5th, and hauling green wood from forest 
with ox carts. On the 6th, river four and one-half feet 
below high water mark. A trifling rain. Throng clean- 
ing leading ditches. 10th, dug canal on upper line. 11th, 
cleaning middle canal. 12th, a trifling rain, making fifty- 
four days drought. On the' 13th, river four feet below 
high water mark. Forty-three women at the hoe, work- 
ing to field roads. Hoed one hundred and thirty arpents 
of thin stubbles on the 17th and 18th; on the L9th, 
hoed Otahity stubbles. River rising two inches, is now 
three feet eleven inches below high water mark. Wind 
east, on the 24th, in the afternoon ; on the 25th, light 
rain, in the morning ; weather autumn like. River rose 
two inches on the 25th, and is therefore, three feet nine 
inches below high water mark. Good rain on the 26th, 
in the rear of plantation only, and at oh h. p. m. showery; 
light rain on the 27th. Cutting bad weeds on the 25th, 
26th and 28th. Breaking corn on the 30th. A good 
rian on the 31st, at 6i h. p. m. 

August. On the 1st, size of plant cane in joints, four 
feet seven inches ; in the neighborhood they are from five 
feet two inches, to five feet six inches ; on the place here, 
some stubbles are five feet ten inches. On the 4th, 
weeded thirty-three arpents of canes, on account of the 



[147] 

r 

coco grass. River fell seven inches, from the 4th to the 
7th. Green moss gathered and piled up, on the 6th, was 
good for use on the 1st of December. On the 8th, haul- 
ing wood to the sugar house. Weather very warm, the 
heat is such as August only can produce ; on the 14thy 
the weather as hot as ever, thermometer 26° E,. above 
zero, at 9 J h. p. m., making it almost impossible to sleep- 
during the night. Worked to levees on the 13th, raising 
and widening the top. 15th, cloudy, and light sprinkling 
of rain. 16th, stopped ox carts in the hauling of wood. 
17th, a good rain. Cut down three hundred and sixty 
large gum trees. Forty- five women topping and widen- 
ing levees. Eain on the 18th and 19th. No water in 
ditches, but the ground is quite wet. In the distance, , 
heavy rains visible, on the 22d, but a mere sprinkle here; 
23d, wind north. Resumed hauling wood. On the 25th, 
a rain, which interrupts the hauling. Building a new 
wharf on batture, using the pile driver, it drives down, 
one pile every fifteen minutes. A heavy shower on the 
30th, but ground still too dry. No water in ditches. 
Pumpkins were ripe on the 1st August, one weighed 
thirty-three pounds, another thirty-eight pounds. Weath- 
er c^)l enough to close doors at night; weather still in- 
dicating drought, on the 31st. Stopped chopping wood, 
with seven hundred and fifty cords, for the following 
year. Peaches and apples abundant in New Orleans,, 
and selling for twenty-five and fifty cents per dozen. 

Septemher. Breaking corn with all the hands on the • 
1st. On the 2d, cleaned main sugar house pond. 3d, 
weather warm. Through breaking corn (two thousand" 
barrels). 4th, weather cool, wind north. Repairing and 
strengthening levee. Weather too dry. Cleaned the- 
smaller sugar house pond on the 5th. Through hauling 
wood the 6th. On the 8th, a strong wind with rain, 
which blows down one hundred and fifty arpents of canes,.„ 
more or less. Through repairing and strengthening levee 
on the 9th, and also dug pond near saw mill, on the out- 
side of levee, but the banks caved in. Rain on the lOth,^ 



[ 148 ] 

which puts water in ditches. Cutting bad weeds. Rain 
the 11th ; ground sufficiently wet. On the 12th and 
13th, putting up fences, and planking or palissading the 
front of the whole batture levee. Cutting hay on the 
14 th until midday, at which time the weather was too 
threatening to continue. Strong east wind on the 15th, 
16th and 17th, on which days dug ditches ; on the 18th, 
wind east, with few drops of rain ; stored in, however, 
some hay cut the 15th. All hands cutting hay on the 
19th, which was hauled and stored on the 20th. Fevers pre- 
vailing among the plantation slaves. Stopped cutting 
hay on the 22d and 24th. Resumed making hay on the 
26th. Wind north the 27th ; on the 28th, thermometer 
10J° R. above zero ; 29th and 30th, thermometer 9° R. 
above zero. 

October. 1st, thermometer 10° R. above zero. Through 
cutting hay. Begun gathering corn of plantation hands 
on the 2d ; thermometer 10?° R. above zero. Through 
storing hay the 3d. Have been hauling sand into the 
park for nine and a half days. 4th, warm and cloudj^ 
The drought makes it necessary to water the stock at the 
river. A sprinkle on the 9 th; beneficial rain on the 
10th; rain the 11th, during the night; 12th, rain ; since 
the spring there has not been so much rain, with ther- 
mometer 10 ° R. above zero during night, and the day 
cool. Thirty-two gallons of milk, skimmed of its cream, 
thirty-six hours after having been set out, gave twelve 
pounds of butter; but in summer, forty-two gallons of 
milk will give only six or seven pounds of butter. The 
" Scientific Farmer" states that it takes from two to four 
gallons of milk to make one pound of butter. Worked 
to public road on the 13th. Through repairing the vari- 
ous roads on the 14th. Throwing up some earth work 
for wharf on the 15th, and digging a canal from river to 
levee, for the mooring of coal boats nearer shore. Fevers 
• still prevail among slaves of plantation. On one planta- 
tion as nmch as one ounce of quinine was administered 
in one day. Weather fine and cool on the 17th. Begun 



[149] 

to matlay canes. 21st, cloudy and warm, windy ; 22d,. 
weather indicating drought, and cool in the morning; 
warm and cloudy on the 25th ; rain enough to lay the 
dust; some rain again during night; wind north and 
weather cold on the 26th. Through matlay ing. Weather 
rather warm the 28th ; give the day to the hands. Rain 
before day on the 29 th. Begun cutting canes for the 
mill. Out of the stubble canes cut, some measure eight 
and nine feet in red joints. Thirty-five arpents gave four 
hundred and eighty-one loads of canes, which only yielded 
forty-two thousand pounds. River twenty feet six inches 
below highest water marks. 

Novemher. 1st, weather warm ; trifling rain the 2d ; 
weather cool and dry on the 4th and 5th ; thermometer 
1° R. above zero ; white frost reported, being seen in the 
rear of plantation ; heavy white frost, and some ice on 
the 7th; thermometer lh°. R. above zero; cane tops 
affected in the rear of plantation ; on the 8th, thermom- 
eter 3° R. above zero ; the tops of canes in rear quite 
affected, but the eyes of the cane are all good. Stopped 
grinding on the 8th, one hundred and five thousand pounds 
of sugar made from sixty-eight arpents. Resumed grind- 
ing on the 10th. Weather warm. The defecators being 
well skimmed, the filters work better. Strong wind on 
the 11th, and sky overcast, with a drizzle in the after- 
noon; 12th, heavy rain for two hours in the morning; 
raining, by intervals, in the afternoon ; this rain is the 
heaviest since June 16th, 1850 ; 13th, warm and light 
rain. Canes on nine arpents have to be carried on shoul- 
ders from the cut to the road. Northwest wind, and rain 
by intervals, on the 14th. Cut, on that day, thirty arpents 
of canes. Foggy on the 15th ; thermometer 41° R. above 
zero. Stopped grinding near midnight, having ground 
one hundred and thirty-two arpents of canes, of which 
twenty-five arpents are of six and twelve feet, making 
one hundred and ninety thousand pounds of sugar ; some 
canes on the carrier measured eight feet. River twenty- 
one feet, five inches below high water mark. Cloudy the 



[150] 

18th ; light rain p. m. Repaired main plantation road on 
the 20th. On the 21st, white frost; thermometer 3° R. 
above zero ; white frost on the 22d, and cloudy at noon ; 
thermometer 3° R. above zero. Through makino- the 
third run of this grinding, on the 22d, at midnight; two 
hundred and sixty thousand pounds of sugar made from 
one hundred and sixty arpents of canes ; from thirty- 
three arpents of plant canes, made eighty-five thousand 
pounds of sugar ; from twenty-three arpents plant cane, 
and forty arpents of old stubbles, made eighty-two thou- 
sand pounds of sugar ; two hundred and forty arpents of 
canes yet to grind. Fair on the 23d ; cloudy the 24th, in 
the morning; sleet and rain in the evening; on the 25th, 
thermometer 2° R. above zero; on the 26th, thermometer 
zero, with a drizzling rain p. m. Windrowing canes. Light 
rain the whole day, by intervals, on the 27th ; light rain 
on the 28th and 29th. Stopped grinding on the 29th, at 
midnight; three hundred and fifty-nine thousand pounds 
of sugar made, thus far, from two hundred and seventeen 
arpents of canes ; still one hundred and seventy- three 
arpents plant canes, and ten arpents of stubbles to grind. 
Plantation roads are in very bad condition. Fair on the 
30th. 

December. 1st, thin ice; thermometer 1?° R. above 
zero. Roads so muddy that they cannot, now, be thor- 
oughly repaired. White frost on the 2d; wind north 
during night ; 3d, white frost ; cloudy p. m., and shifts to 
the north in the evening; 4th, white frost; 5th, ther- 
mometer i° R. below zero, with heavy white frost and 
iee ; fair on the 6th ; cloudy on the 7th ; wind southeast. 
Stopped grinding, with four hundred and forty-five thou- 
sand pounds of sugar altogether. Fair on the 8th. 
Resumed grinding at night. 9 th, cloudy, and a small 
shower in the afternoon ; 10th, cloudy, and partial showers; 
misty rain on the lltli and 12th. River rose one foot, 
being now twenty feet, five inches below high water mark. 
Stopped grinding on the 13th, having made altogether 
five hundred and forty-six thousand pounds of sugar. 



L151] 

Weather colder on the 13th and 14th, but still unsettled ; 
-weather fair on the 15th, and wind north ; on the 16th, 
thermometer 1° R. above zero; northeast wind, and 
weather cloudy, with a light rain, which freezes gradually. 
Stopped field hands in the afternoon. Cloudy and cold 
on the 17th, thermometer 1° R. below zero; on the 18th, 
thermometer 3i° R. below zero ; on the 19th, thermom- 
eter 4J° R. below zero. Made one hundred thousand 
pounds of sugar in five days and six hours. Heavy rain 
on the 21st, during the night. Through cutting canes on 
the 21st, and through grinding on the 23d, in the morn- 
ing, making a crop of six hundred and seventy-eight thou- 
sand pounds of sugar; the calculation, before grinding, 
was of a lower estimate, onlj^ five hundred hogsheads 
being expected. Three days of rest given to the planta- 
tion hands. Resumed plantation work on the 27th. Rain 
during the night. Cutting down cypress trees in the woods 
on the 27th, and 29th, for plantation use; each man fell- 
ing three large trees or six small trees. Rain in the even- 
ing, on the 29th. Planted three arpents of canes on the 
30th ; cane seed very good. Heavy rain, with thunder, 
on the 30th. 

1852. 

January. Cloudy in the morning of the 1st, balance 
of the day fair. Heavy white frost on the 2d ; heavy 
white frost and thin ice on the 3d; cleaned ground. 
White frost, more or less, on the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 
8th ; weather milder on the 9th and 10th, but wind shifts 
to the north ; light frost on the 11th. One hundred and 
five arpents of cane planted. River has risen four feet. 
Very cold northeast wind on the 12th, in the afternoon ; 
snow fallen in large flakes. On the 13th ; thermometer 
3° R. below zero. The ground covered over with five to 
twelve inches of snow in thickness, and which did not 
melt in the shade until the 17th. On the 4th of January, 
1834, sleet fell two and a half inches thick, and lasted 
four days in the shade. On the 14th, thermometer un- 
der gallery 7° R. below zero, and outside of gallery. 9°' 



[ 152 J 

R. below zero/, the cold as severe as that of February^ 
1835. On the 15th and 16th, thermometer 3° R. below 
zero ; heavy white frost the 17th, thermometer zero. 
Planted canes on the 16th, 17th and 18th, and through 
opening furrows. 18th, light rain all the afternoon, and 
a strong northwest wind during the whole night ; 19th, 
ice, and a very cold wind ; thermometer 4° R. below zero, 
under gallery, and 6° R. below zero, outside of gallery ; 
on the 20th, thermometer 8° R. below zero, under gallery, 
and 10° R. outside ; ice fully one half inch thick in the 
pond of garden, and much thicker where the water is not 
so deep ; this ice is as thick as that of the 16th of Febru- 
ary, 1823, and that of February, 1835. On the 20th, 
unloading coal boat, and got through on the 23d. Re- 
sumed planting on the 23d, at midday ; although canes 
in mats had a sheath of ice enveloping them, however, 
they grew, eventually, as thick as the others, having been 
planted thicker and covered them with more dirt. River 
fell two feet from the 22d to the 24th. On the 25th, 
very light rain. Planted twenty arpents of cane on the 
26th, and twenty-three arpents on the 27tli. Float- 
ing blocks of ice in the river at Vicksburg and Natchez, 
on the 23d and 24th. The same thing was witnessed at 
Bayou Sara and Baton Rouge. 28th, light frost, with 
fog. River three feet lower than on the 22d. 31st, light 
rain at night. 

Felrniari/. 3d, river had fallen to the water mark of 
December last. The thawing, since a day or two, in the 
river, Ohio, has opened navigation on the Ohio down ; 
steamboats are on their way to New Orleans. Through 
planting on the 4th, leaving sufficient seed cane in the 
field, to plant eighty arpents. Begun plowing the 5th, 
Begun scraping pkint canes the 6th. Delivered two flat- 
boat loads of canes for seed to a relative, Mr. Ferry, liv- 
ing nearly opposite this place. Rain the 9th, which con- 
tinued to fall slightly, by intervals, during the night, 
until the 10th at noon. River rose one foot in two days. 
White frost and northwest wind on the lltli. Plowing 



[ 153 ] 

in plant canes. Light frost on the 12th, 13th and 15th. 
Heavy fog on the 16th and 17th and weather warm. 
River has risen again three feet. On the 18th plowed 
up about twenty-eight rows of plant canes and replanted 
them, for an experiment ; these rows came up, eventually, 
as well as the others. Rain the 20th and 21st. Plowed 
for peas the 23d. 26th, through plowing and scraping 
plant canes. 27tb, begun plowing in stubbles ; also 
shaving them with the hoe. The new ground is so mel- 
low that plant canes there do not require hoeing. Some 
few canes growing out on the 28th. Weather warm 
with a light rain. Pasturage is good. 29th, wind north. 
River still rising ; being on this rise since the beginning 
of February. 

March. Hoeing plant canes, in old ground, for the 
second time, on the 1st, as it had become grassy, and the 
hoes shaving stubbles in new land — the rattoon shaver 
to be used only in stubbles in old ground. The weather 
continues cloudy, and south wind until the 6th. Thirty- 
three arpents of plant canes, in new land, marking the 
row ; the balance just coming up ; the stubbles are not 
yet up. Through working plant canes, in new ground, 
on the 6th. Two ox carts hauling wood from the swamps. 
Through plowing stubbles on the 9th. Main canal 
thoroughly cleaned on the 10th. Planting corn the 11th, 
and through plowing one hundred arpents for western 
corn. 12th, through shaving stubbles ; planted western 
corn. 13th, all the corn crop planted. Heavy rain and 
wind during the night from the 12th to the 14th. Rain on 
the 17th. All the plant canes marking the row the 19 th, 
21st, rain all day. 29th, through working plant canes, 
for the third time. 30th, light rain, with thunder. (Most 
of the orange trees have been killed.) 

April. 3d, plant canes have been growing well. A 
very light rain. Some stubbles mark the row, Straw- 
berries are abundant. On the 6th, all the stubbles mark 
the row, more or less ; some, however, will show a thin 
stand. North wind the 6th; thermometer 7° R. above 
12 



L 154 J 

zero. Weather too dry. Worked eighty-five arpents of 
plant canes, in old land, for the fourth time. White frost 
reported on the 7th, in the rear of plantation. Much of 
the plant canes measure three feet with leaves. Thinning 
and hoeing corn the 7th and 8th. River fell ten inches. 
Wind north the 8th ; east w^ind on the 9th. Resumed 
plowing and hoeing in plant canes for the fourth time. 
10th, light rain from 7 h. A. m. to 5 h. p. m., which con- 
tinued the whole night ; 11th, rain during the night. 
12th and 13th, sowed peas ; transplanted some stubbles, 
which grew well. 14th, rain until midday. Repaired 
roads. Sowed peas on the 14th and 15th. North wind 
the 21st; thermometer 5° R. above zero. Through work- 
ing plant canes for the fourth time. The north wind 
was so strong and of such duration that steamers plying 
on the lake could not reach the Pontchartrain wharf for 
want of water. Light frost on the 22d, which affected 
the color of the canes. Begun plowing and hoeing stub- 
bles. On the 24th, one hundred and forty arpents of 
stubbles hoed. Rain at midday ; rain also on the 25th ; 
cold north wind on the 26th and 27th. Through plowing* 
and hoeing one hundred arpents of corn, in old land. 
Through plowing stubbles on the 28th, and through hoe- 
ing them on the 29th. Plowing and harrowing plant 
canes for the fifth time. Begun to hoe plant canes on 
the 29th ; color of canes good. River two and a half 
feet below high water mark. 

Mcuj. 1st, begun hauling wood from the forest into 
back pasture. 4th, through working plant canes for the 
fifth time. Commenced discharging coal boat. Weather 
cloudy since three days, and threatening rain. 5th, begun 
the sixth weeding of plant canes. 8th, plowing and hoe- 
ing stubbles for the fourth time. Weather too dry. 14th, 
plowing and harrowing plant canes for the sixth time ; 
continued plowing and harrowing stubbles. 15th, through 
hoeing plant canes for the sixth time. Hoed one hundred 
arpents of corn, in old land, on the 17th. Through 
plowing and harrowing stubbles ; through hoeing them, 



[ 155 ] 

the 18th, for the fourth time. 19 th, cutting weeds in 
pasture. The women and the weak hands weeding peas 
on the 21st and 22d. Wood chopping going on. Four 
hundred and eighteen pounds of bastard sugar mixed with 
thirty-five gallons of molasses, and worked by the centri- 
fugals, gave three hundred and one pounds of sugar, 
worth six cents. Size of canes, with leaves, on the 24th : 
Plant canes are fine, and measure from four feet six 
inches to six feet. Stubbles having having appeared late 
are from three feet six inches to four feet, but irregular 
in size, 24th and 25th, very cloudy ; 26th, rain, to lay 
the dust only ; rained a little on the 27th and 28th. 
River is twenty-four and one-half inches below high 
water mark. 28th, through the seventh weeding of plant 
<;anes at midday, and begun at once to work stubbles for 
the fifth time. 29th, a good shower at noon. 3 0th, rain 
from two o'clock in the morning until daybreak, and at 
intervals during the whole day. Ditches and main canal 
overflowing. River twenty-one inches below high water 
mark. Sowing peas on the 31st. 

June. 1st and 2d, weeded peas. Worked centrifugal 
machine, on the 2d and subsequent days, and obtained as 
follows : twelve thousand pounds of saccharine matter, 
the value or equivalent of one hundred moulds of sugar, 
passed through the centrifugals, gave four thousand seven 
hundred and fifty-four pounds of dry sugar, sold at six 
and one-quarter cents ; the same quantity, if worked in 
moulds, would have given six thousand pounds of sugar, 
scrapings and points included ; in open kettles, the result 
would have been seven thousand pounds sugar and five 
thousand pounds of molasses ; thus the only advantage of 
centrifugals, is the rapidity with which sugar is made 
marketable. Worked the stubbles on the 3d, for the fifth 
time, and through plowing and harrowing them, on the 
5th. Rain on the 6th, stopping hoe work in canes. 
Hoed peas oh the 7th, until midday, and through hoeing 
stubbles, for the fifth time. [Two hundred and sixty- 
nine pounds of sugar, first produce (large grains) taken 



L156] 

from the heater and woked in centrifugals, gave one 
hundred and fifteen pounds of sugar, worth six and one- 
quarter cents, and the same sugar worked in moulds, 
gave one hundred and thirty-four pounds of sugar, in- 
cluding points and scrapings; thus the moulds gave 
fifty per cent, of sugar, while the centrifugals gave only 
forty-three per cent.J Begun working plant canes on the 
8th, for the eighth time ; canes do not quite screen the 
plowmen. Wind uncomfortably cool on the 9th, in the 
evening, at 9 h. p. M. Laid-by thirty-three arpents of 
plant canes, in new land. Begun working plant canes 
on the 10th, for the eighth time. River eighteen inches 
below high water mark. On the 11th, some plant canes 
very nearly screen the plowmen. Trifling rain on the 
12th, with strong wind. 14th, through plowing plant 
canes, for the eighth time. 15th, begun plowing in stub- 
bles, for the sixth time ; one hundred arpents to be laid- 
by. 16th, through hoeing plant canes, for the eighth 
time, and begun hoeing stubbles, in the afternoon of the 
16th, for the sixth lime. 19th, begun laying-by plant 
canes, with plow ; and through working stubbles on the 
22d, for the sixth time ; one hundred arpents of which 
are laid-by. Begun ninth weeding of plant cane, on the 
23d, and through plowing them for the ninth time. 
Plant cane is of very good size. Plowed one hundred 
arpents of corn, in old ground, on the 23d and 24th. 
Very little rain the 26th. Through hoeing plant cane, for 
the ninth time. River twenty-nine inches below high water 
mark. Hoeing peas on 28th, and got through on the 
29th. All the wood cut in the forest, was hauled out 
into back pasture. Light showers on the 29th, 30th ; 
weather very warm. 

Juhj. 1st, chopping wood, also weeding peas and 
bending corn with the gang of women. River so low on 
the 3d, that fifty feet from the wharf, water is only five 
feet deep. On the 5th, unloading coal boat of four thou- 
sand six hundred and twenty-nine barrels of coal ; the 
distance from coal boat to coal pile on shore being one 



L157] 

hundred and twenty feet ; the work is slow ; through dis- 
charging coal on the 9 th. Weeding balance of peas 
on the 10th. Bending the standing corn on the 12th. 
13th, rained a little for a moment. Weeding stubbles o^ 
old land, the 12th, 14th, 15th and 16th. Pumping water 
from the river, every other day, into sugar house pond. 
A sugar cane from Mr. Urquhart's place, below the city, 
with twelve red joints, measuring five feet six inches ; 
here, in 1840, a sample cane measured seven feet four 
inches, on the 31st of July. Rain on the 20th and 21st. 
Through hoeing stubbles, in old ground, on the 24th. 
A good rain on the 26th. Through cleaning ditches on 
the 28th. A stubble cane, in new land, measures six 
feet. Cutting weeds on the 29th, 30th and 31st. Through 
boiling-water sugar on the 31st. 

August. 2d, made a new plantation road. On the 
3d, cut and carted away pissahed from the pastures. Cut- 
ting weeds in the corn crop of plantation hands on the 
7th. Begun hauling wood to sugar house. Weather too 
dry ; heavy shower on the 9th, in the woods, which 
stopped ox-carts ; rain again on the 10th in the rear of 
plantation. 13th, resumed hauling wood. 17th, rain, 
which stops hauling ; light rain the 19th ; 20th, a good 
rain. Cleaning main sugar house pond. 21st, a partial 
rain. A garfish caught in the river, weighing one hun- 
dred and forty-seven pounds. Through making powdered 
sugar. Cleaning one of the sugar house ponds on the 
25th; wind north; the same weather as last year on the 
30th of August ; on the 26th, wind north again ; weather 
too dry. 28th, one thousand cords of wood at the sugar 
house. 28th and 30th, the gang of women breaking corn. 
30th, rain, the heaviest since a long while. 31st, rain, 
but with no addition of water to canal, which is dug 
eighty-six arpents back of the plantation. A rattle 
snake killed, measuring six feet long. 

September. 3d, ox-carts hauling wood from the forest. 
On the 6th, stock has to be watered at the river. Through 
digging main canal ; lengthening it seventeen arpents on 



[ 158 ] 

the 8th. Gathering peas the 9th and 10th. Begun cut- 
ing hay on the 11th, with the gang of woman. 12tb, 
through hauling wood from forrest. North wind ; ther- 
mometer 17° E. above zero, on the 12th ; northwest win(J 
on the 13th; thermometer 13° R. above zero. One hun- 
dred hands cutting hay. Thermometer 13 P R. on the 
14th, and foggy until 7 h. p. m., with cloudy weather in 
the evening ; 15th, cloudy. Gathering corn and hauling 
hay on the 15th, 16th and 17th. Sixteen hands can 
store in thirty-six cartloads of hay from 11 h. A. m. until 
night; the carts are larger than in 1845; 17th, cloudy. 
18th, hauled hay; some loads remaining in the field on 
account of rain ; 19th, rain more or less, the whole day ; 
20th, rain ; 21st, fair. 22d, making hay, though the 
weather is threatening. On the 2od, gathering corn crop 
of plantation hands. 25th resumed hay making. 27th, 
weather cloudy and cool; 28th, fair, thermerneter 15° R. 
above zero. 29th, through making hay. 30th, Gather- 
ing corn of plantation hands, and hauling hay. In 1839, 
there was much rain until the 8th of September, followed 
by dry weather until November, and sixty-five arpents of 
cane which had often been flooded by rain, yielded two> 
and aquarter hogsheads to the arpent; the cane juice weigh- 
ing 9i to 10° B. In 1840, it rained sufficiently in August, 
and not too much in September, with heavy rain on the 
1st October, and cane juice weighed' 7i to 8° B. and' 
canes gave from two and a half to two and three-quarters- 
hogsheads per arpent. In 1843, it rained too much in 
September to make hay, and canes had to be hoed as late 
as the 15th of August, yet cane juice was very rich. 

October. 1st, light rain, preventing the hauling of hay. 
2d, strong east wind all day. Through storing tlie hay 
crop. 5th, through liauling coal. 8th, through repairing, 
the roads. 9th, dug canal to moor coal boats. . 10th, 
thermometer 11° R, above zero in the morning; on the 
11th, thermometer 11° R, above zero. 15th, through 
matlaying cane enough to plant two hundred and fifty 
arpents. Thermometer 10° R. above zero. ICth^ 



[159] 

thermometer 9i° R. above zero. Repaired and 
strengthened part of the levee. 18th, worked to the 
levees on each side of plantation railroad. 19th, begun 
cutting cane for the mill. Pumped water from the river 
during three days, for sugar house ponds, and stream in 
the garden. 21st, cloudy; 26th, light rain, by intervals., 
27th, rain ; 29th, rain, however, no running water in the* 
ditches ; weather fair and cold on the 30th ; thermometer 
8° R. alDove zero. Through making first run with one 
hundred and twenty-eight thousand pounds, from ninety- 
three arpents of canes. A Creole potatoe, from the plan- 
tation of Mr. S. Roman, weighs four and a half pounds, 
and a yam potatoe four pounds, twelve ounces. The 
Picayune says that Osborn Brothers, on the Barataria 
road, have sent a Creole sweet potatoe weighing fifteen 
pounds ; the thing is not credible. 

November, Fair on the 1st. Resumed grinding. 4th, 
cloudy, wind south ; 5th, light rain. 6th, stopped grind- 
ing at 10 h. A. M., making, during the week, ninety-six 
thousand pounds of sugar from thirty arpents of plant 
cane and eighteen arpents of stubbles. Rain tlie 6th, 
until evening ; 7th, wind northwest ; first white frost on 
the Sth ; thermometer 6° R. above zero. Resumed grind- 
ing on the Sth, at 2 h. A. m. Weather cloudy on the 10th 
and 11th ; on trfae 12th, northwest wind; weather fine. 
Stopped grinding on the loth, at noon ; a sample of stub- 
ble cane of nine feet, ten inches — many on the cane car- 
rier are seven feet, six inches. White frost on the 15th, 
thermometer 4i° R. above zero. Resumed grinding at 2 
h. A. M. 16th, rain before day, and during the whole day, 
by intervals ; wind shifts to the north on the 17th ; north- 
west on the 19th ; thermometer oi° R. above zero ; 20th, 
white frost, thermometer 3i° R. above zero. Windrow- 
ing cane. River has risen six feet. 21st, rain, stopping 
field work, at 3 h. p. m.; 22d, fair, but weather too mild 
to last so ; 23d, white frost, thermometer 4° R. above 
zero ; 24th and 25th, rain, by intervals ; the dampness 
and moisture excessive all day ; 26th, wind north ; white 



[160] 

frost; thermometer IP R. above zero; 28th, thermom- 
eter i° R. above zero, and 5° R. above zero on the 29th. 
Windrowed on the 28th and 29th ; (ninety-five arpents of 
cane windrowed altogether). 30th, fair; thermometer 5° 
R. above zero. The Picayune states that Mr. Livaudais 
has a cane eleven feet long. 

December. 1st, wind east and weather fair ; 2d, cloudy; 
very light rain in the afternoon, and during the night; 
3d, fair, with wind northwest ; 5th, white frost. Six hun- 
dred and three thousand pounds of sugar made ; thirty- 
three to thirty-four arpents of cane ground this week, on 
this last run, yielded ninety thousand pounds of sugar. 
8th, fog and white frost in the morning ; weather cloudy 
in the afternoon ; 9th, light rain during night; 11th, thin 
ice, and heavy frost; thermometer 1° R. above zero; 
12th, cloudy. Seven hundred and six thousand pounds 
of sugar made ; cane are yielding three thousand pounds 
to the arpent; about thirty-three arpents are ground 
every week, from 2 h. A. m. Monday, to Saturday, at mid- 
day, making, in that time, one hundred thousand pounds, 
and five thousand pounds in golden ; eight hundred 
and forty cartloads of cane gave from one hundred to one 
hundred and three thousand pounds of sugar. Weather 
warm on the 14th ; cloudy on the 15th ; heavy rain on 
the 16th ; fair the 17th. Stopped grinding on the 18th ; 
eight hundred and ten thousand pounds of sugar made. 
South winds prevailed during the past week. Stopped 
grinding on the 25th; nine hundred and nineteen thou- 
sand pounds of sugar made. On the 26th, rain by inter- 
vals, since early in the morning; 27th, rain ; 28th, strong 
northwest wind. 30th, light rain; 31st, wind, north. 
River is at its highest, at Mr. Osgood's, four miles below 
New Orleans. 

1853. 

January. 1st and 2d, weather fair ; northwest wind 
on the 3d; ice on the 4th ; thermometer 2° R. below zero; 
ice and heavy white frost on the 5th and Otli; thermom- 
eter zero. Through cutting cane on the 6th. Through 






[161 J 

grinding on the 7th. Rain on the 8th, in the evening, 
and during night. 10th, through boiling water-sugar, 
making a crop of eleven hundred and thirty-one thousand 
pounds of sugar, from four hundred and sixty arpents of 
cane. River high. Resumed plantation work on the 
11th ; plowing, opening furrows, etc. Begun planting on 
the 12th; 14:th, rained a little ; also, on the 15th and 
16th ; fair and cold on the 17th ; weather cold during the 
whole week ; 21st, rain, which stopped planting ; 22d, 
cold; 23d, cold and fair; thermometer 2i° R. above 
zero. Only fifty-six arpents of cane planted ; the ground 
in bad condition; and cleaned furrows with the hoes, the 
ground being too wet to use the flukes. Ice on the 24th 
and 25th, but not thick ; thermometer J° R. above zero ; 
26th, cloudy ; cold and fair in the evening ; white frost 
on the 27th, 28th, 29th, and 30th. One hundred and 
seventy arpents of cane planted. White frost on the 31st; 
there were at least eight white frosts without rain. Burnt 
the grass over strawberry ground. 

February. 1st, weather cloudy. River stationary since 
ten days. 2d, cloudy, with little dew, wind south, 3d, 
very light rain, south wind ; cold rain, with north wind, 
from midday until evening on the 5th. River fell one 
foot. On the 6th, weather cloudy, northwest wind ; ther- 
mometer 1J° R. above zero. Through planting on the 
12th. Begun plowing and working with the hoe on the 
13th. On the 16th, river had fallen. 18th, rain. Dug 
cross ditches. Warm on the 21st ; strong south wind on 
the 22d all day, with a light rain. River had risen on 
the 22d, but is still low. Wind shifted north during the 
night, and on the 23d a strong northwest wind; 24th, 
ice, thermometer zero. 26th, begun plowing in stubbles, 
running rattoon shaver behind the plows. 

MarcJi. Pastures with some clover for stock on the 
1st. Light rain on the 7th, Hands working in ditches 
with spades. 11th, light rain. 12th, planted some corn; 
iboes in stubbles working behind the rattoon shaver on 
the 14th and l^th. Rained a little on the 14th ; white 



[ 162 ] 

frost on the loth, with cloudy weather. Grubbinoj stub- 
bles on the 16th and 17th ; a thin rain on the morning 
of the 17th, but in the afternoon heavy rain, by intervals, 
until late in the evening. Through shaving stubbles on 
the 17th. Chopping wood and digging cross ditches on 
the 18th. The hoes working in stubbles and cleaning 
ditches on the 19th. Fifteen plows at work for peas on 
the 17th and 19th. Weather cloudy the 20th ; threat- 
ening rain. 21st, chopping wood. Rained much in the 
evening ; weather similar to an equinox. 22d, chopping 
wood. 23d, fair. Chopping wood. River rising to within 
one foot eight inclies of the water mark of 1849. 24th, 
cleaning canal with the whole gang. 25th, begun hoeing 
plant cane for the second time. 26th, rain. 30th, through 
hoeing plant cane. 

April. 1st, begun grubbing stubbles, already shaved, 
and through grubbing on the 4th. 5th, begun third 
weeding, working the hoes behind the plows. Through 
the third weeding on the 12th. Plowing stubbles on the 
13th, the hoes grubbing and adding dirt where required, 
and levelling the ground along the rows. Weather too 
dry. Plant cane mark the row since the 3d or 4th of 
April. Stubbles not yet out thick enough. On the 15th 
last plant cane was like that of the year 1852, the 20th 
March ; if anything, the plant cane of this year is a 
little larger. On the place here the plant cane is not 
sufficiently thick in some cuts. Stubbles marked the row 
since the 10th, but irregularly ; however, on the 15th, 
they were more regular and quite thick on the row in 
some places, particularly in old land ; altogether the stand 
is good. On the 15th, the river had falle:i twenty inches 
in ten days, and is still falling. No rain since the 21st 
of March. Plant cane, like last year, which had been 
cut early in the season, had grown in December and 
January. On the 16th, a shower in the morning, wetting 
ground two inches deep; fair the 17th; wind north. 
22d, through grubbing stubbles and working plant canes. 
23d, begun the fourth weeding of plant cane, the harrows 



■ [163] 

cultivating in between rows, and the hoes working 
the same. Through with the fourth weeding on the 
29th. Plows and hoes at work in some stubbles, in new 
ground, for the third time, on the 30th. At this last 
date, the fortieth day of drought; weather too dry, 
only one shower occurring, on the 16th of April, since 
the heavy rain of the 21st of March. 

May. 1st, a light rain. Planted ninety-eight arpents 
of peas, although ground not wet enough. 3d, rain for 
two hours, and as much as needed for the last sowing of 
peas. Coal boat hauled in canal, after partly nnloading 
the boat. 4th, weather very fair. Sowed peas. 5th, un- 
loading the second coal boat with all the laborers, and got 
through discharging on the 6th, in the morning. Begun 
harrowing plant cane, for the fifth time, on the 6th, and. 
hoeing on the 7th. Hoed sixty arpents in one day. On 
the 8th, rain since midnight, until 8 h. A. m., and again; 
in the afternoon. Peas well up. 12th. through working 
plant cane with harrow. 14th, through hoeing. River 
has risen a little ; not iso high as in 1849. loth, begun 
the fourth plowing of stubbles. 14th, hoeing stubbles. 
Through working stubbles on the 20th. Begun the sixth 
working, with harrows and hoes, of plant cane. Have- 
had strawberries in abundance from 10th of April to 
15th May. On the 20th and 21st, wind north; ther- 
mometer 14° R. above zero. On the 22d, wind north, 
and cold enough to wear heavy clothing in the morning. 
On the 23d, weather cloudy. 25th, wind north. Through 
hoeing plant cane on the 27th, for the sixth time. Heavy 
rain the 27th. River one foot six and a half inches 
below high water mark of 1849, on the 28th. Size of 
cane : Plant cane not very thick on the row, but gener- 
ally of the same height everywhere, and measure from 
four feet six inches to five feet, with leaves ; stubbles are 
very thick, and have a very fine appearance ; they 
measure about four feet six inches, but are not as large 
as plant cane. 31st, plowed corn in old land. 

June. 1st, begun plowing plant cane, for the seventh 



1164] 

time, and begun hoeing them, for the seventh time, on 
the 2d. Applied guano to ten rows of cane planted in a 
former potatoe patch. 7th, through plowing plant cane, 
for the seventh time, and through hoeing them on the 
same day. Begun plowing and hoeing in stubbles. The 
drought is very great, but cane of fine color, and improv- 
ing fast. Through plowing and hoeing stubbles, on the 
11th. Cutting pissabeds in pastures, on the 13th. Hoe- 
ing peas on the 14th ; the grouud is very hard, making 
the work slow. 15th, through plowing in peas. All 
hands at the hoe. Drought still prevailing. Wind north 
since three days. 16th, through hoeing peas, and begun 
to ridge up stubbles; hoeing them on the 17th. Rain a 
little on the 21st, thermometer 24 i° R. above zero, at 5 
h. p. M. ; 22d, rain, stopping the plows and the hoes. 2od, 
chopping wood. 24th, resumed work in stubbles, and 
through working them oil the 25th. 27th, begun to ridge 
up plant cane. 

Jaly. 2d, heavy rain in the morning ; 3d, rain in the 
afternoon ; 4th, heavy rain, at 2 h. A. M., until 8 h. A. M. 
Chopping wood. The gang of women cutting weeds. 
6th, heavy rain; rain on the 6th, 7th and 8th; 9th, 
heavy rain. Applied guano along side of nine rows of 
stubbles. 10th, weather fair; 11th, heavy rain; 12th, 
rain much in the morning ; 13th, rain. 14th, cut- 
ting weeds in pastures, with the women, and the men 
chopping wood. A heavy shower at sun set; rain on the 
15th and 16th; no rain on the 17th and 18th. All 
hands at the hoe in the cane, for the last time. A heavy 
rain, in rear of plantation, on the 19th. Through work- 
ing cane on the 20th. A light rain on that day. 21st, 
the men at work in the woods ; the women at work in 
ditches and canal. Light rain on the 22d, 23d, 24th and 
25th. Same kind of work going on. Heavy rain on the 
25th and 26th ; rain at 2 o'clock in the morning, of the 
27th ; water overflowing roads in the field ; tlie heaviest 
rain since a long while. All the laborers at work un- 
loading coal boats and lake bricks, on the 28th. Th 



[165] 

men chopping in the woods, on the 29th ; the women 
bending corn and repairing roads ; 'cleaning ditches. A 
stubble cane found measuring six feet six inches. 29th, 
heavy rain; rain again on the 30th and 31st. 

August. Heavy rains on the 1st and 2d. The women 
working to roads in the field. 3d, light rain; weather 
fair on the 4th and 5th. Hoeing cane with all the hands, 
on the 5th ; hoeing stubbles on the 6th. Rain on the 
7th, in the afternoon ; 8th, rain in rear of plantation. 
All the choppers in the woods, and women at work in ' 
canals. 9th, fair. The men still chopping wood, and 
the women working to roads. Heavy rain, with strong 
wind, on the 10th ; fair on the 11th, 12th and 13th ; 
heavy rain on the 14th, 15th and 16th ; fair on the 17th; 
on the 18th, rain in rear of plantation. 19th, the women 
employed discharging coal boat; the men working to 
roads for hauling of wood. Still chopping on 20th ; the 
women unloading coal boat. Heavy rain on the 21st, in 
the afternoon ; weather fair the 22d and 23d. Hauling 
wood on the 24th and 25th. The women cutting weeds 
in corn of plantation hands. On the 30th, gathering 
corn, with the women. David Wilson, a soldier of the 
revolution, died this month, at the age of one hundred 
and seven years, and at one hundred and four years, 
mowed an acre of hay per day. 

Septemher. 8th, a heavy rain, stopping the hauling of 
wood; 9th, rain all day, and part of the night; rain ou 
the 10th, 11th, and 12th ; fair on the 13th and 14th. 
15th, gathered corn. 16th and 17th, making hay on 
-roads. 17th, rain, p. m. 19th. making hay, although a 
rainy day. 20th, rain, A. m., wind north, thermometer 
20° R. above zero; 21st, wind north, thermometer 15° R, 
above zero, at 8 h. p. m.; on the 22d, wind north, ther- 
mometer 10J° R. above zero, at 6 h. A. m. 

October. On the 1st of October, rain all day, and on 
the 3d, north wind; thermometer 11° R. above zero; 
4th, weather fair ; thermometer 9° R. above zero. The 
crop is very promising, and cane of such a size, that if 



[166 J 

"the yield is as considerable as that of last year, a crop of 
fifteen hundred thousJind pounds of sugar must be ex- 
pected. Through breaking corn crop of plantation hands 
(twenty-three hundred barrels), on the 7th. Gave this 
day to laborers as a day of rest and holiday. 8th, begun 
matlaying. 14th, rain until noon. Cleaning around 
sugar house. Resumed matlaying on the 15th, and got 
through on the 17th. Begun cutting cane for the mill on 
the 18th. Thermometer 10° R. above zero, and on the 
19th and 20th, thermometer 9-i° R. above zero. 21st, 
begun grinding early this morning. The bagasse furnace 
not working perfectly, the revolution of blower, under 
the furnace being too slow, it requires extra wood for fuel, 
although the bagasse is perfect. Had to stop grinding on 
account of accident to machiner3^ North wind on the 
24th; thermometer 4° R. above zero, with white frost; 
rain on the 26th at midday, and during night ; the 
heaviest rain since a year, flooding ditches and even 
ponds. Resumed grinding on the 27th, in the evening, 
a sort of misty rain all day ; cane thrown down by rain 
and wind. On the 27th, one of the boilers leaking, it 
became necessary to work two pans only, through expe- 
diency. 29th, white frost; thermometer 6° R. above 
zero; 30th, white frost, thermometer 5° R. above zero; 
31st, fog thick A. M.; weather cold ; thermometer 4° R. 
above zero ; light frost early A. m. Stopped grind- 
ing in the evening of the 31st, to complete repairs on the 
third boiler. 

November. Boilers being repaired on the 2d. Resumed 
grinding on the 3d, early in the morning, making only 
fifteen thousand pounds of sugar per day. 12th, rain; 
stopped grinding in the evening. 14th, resumed grind- 
ing in the evening. Bagasse furnace works well, but 
must be cleaned every eighteen hours. Weather warm. 
19th, stopped grinding at 6 h. r. m. with two hundred and 
seventy-seven thousand pounds of sugar made. Water from 
the river is requisite every six days. Resumed grinding 
on the 21st at 3 h. A. m. Weather fair from the 22d to 



[ 167^] 

the 26th. Rain on the 26th, all day and all night ; rain 
on the 27th and 28th. Stopped grinding as customary, on 
Sunday, having made three hundred and sixty thousand 
pounds of sugar. 

December. Fair on the 1st and 2d ; white frost, with 
fog, on the 3d. Stopped grinding, having made four hun- 
dred and fifty thousand pounds of sugar, from two hun- 
dred and thirty arpents of cane ; four hundred and eight 
arpents more to grind. Weather rather warm, the 6th 
and 7th ; on the 8th, thermometer 3° R. above zero. 
Windrowed sixteen arpents of cane, without interrupting 
the work of grinding. On the 9th, thermometer 2° R. 
above zero. Windrowed fourteen arpents, making, alto- 
gether, thirty arpents of cane windrowed. lOth, ther- 
mometer, under gallery, 1° R. above zero. Tops of cane 
are frozen. Stopped grinding on the 10th, having made 
five hundred and forty-two thousand pounds of sugar ; 
forty-three arpents yielding ninety-two thousand pounds. 
River is so low it is necessary to pump every day, except 
Sunday. Weather cloudy on the 14th and 15th ; thin 
rain, by intervals, on the 16th ; heavy rain in the even- 
ing; 17th, thermometer 6° R. above zero; on the 19th, 
thermometer 1° above zero, under gallery, but on the out- 
side 1° R. below zero. Windrowed twenty-four arpents 
at midday. (Query : At one time, the same quantity of 
syrup cooked at 30° B., gives one hundred thousand 
pounds of sugar, and, at another time, eventually, the 
same quantity, always cooked at 30 B., gives only eighty- 
three thousand pounds, when it ought to produce the 
same quantity of sugar). Rain on the 22d, 23d, and 
24th; fair on the 26th; thermometer 4° R. above zero. 
Stopped grinding, having made seven hundred and fifty 
thousand pounds of sugar, 28th, wind northwest, and 
weather fair ; 29 th, white frost and thin ice ; thermom- 
eter 1° R. above zero ; 31st, weather cloudy in the morn- 
ing, and fair in the evening; eight hundred and fifty -nine 
thousand pounds of sugar made. 



[ 168 ] 

1854. 

January. 1st, fine weather; thermometer 1° R. above- 
zero ; 2d, thermometer li° R. above zero; on the 3d, 
thermometer 2-^° R. above zero. Juice of plant cane 
weighs 9° B.; Otahity stubbles, 9i° B.; ribbon stubble 
cane, 10° B. On the 3d, cold rain p. M.; fair on the 4th ; 
cold and cloudy on the 5th ; 8th, thermometer zero, 
(Reaumur) ; 9th, thermometer 1° R. below zero, under 
gallery, and at 3° R. below zero, at midnight, outside of 
gallery ; 11th, rain, with thunder, at 2 h. A. M., until 12 
h. M. River very low. Fair on the 12th ; thermometer 
2° R. above zero ; cloudy and warm on the 14th ; south 
wind on the 15th ; weather warm. Stopped grinding, 
having made one million and sixty-four thousand pounds 
of sugar; on the 16th, weather warm ; 17th, rain, and 
weather warm ; 18th, warm, with rain before day. One- 
half of the stalks of cane left standing are yet good for 
seed, on the 18th; cane windrowed on the 8th of Decem- 
ber last, are not as good as the cane left standing. 20th, 
strong wind during night ; 21st, thermometer 4° R. above 
zero; 22d, thermometer li° R. below zero; 23d, cloudy 
and cold; 25th, rain; 26th, weather warm ; 27th, heavy 
rain and weather cold. River has risen one foot. 28th, 
cloudy, thermometer 4° R. above zero; 30th, white frost, 
thermometer 8° R. above zero ; 31st, white frost. 

February. 1st, white frost. Cane left standing are 
still very good, at four and five feet ; the whole stalk of 
the cane is sometimes found good. The standing cane, 
ground together with the windrowed, give juice weighing 
9i° B., and make a very fine quality of sugar. Through 
grinding on the 5th, making a crop of over fourteen hun- 
dred thousand pounds of sugar, though the cane were cut 
only one-third of their full size, from the 20th of Novem- 
ber. This crop was made at an expense, for the year, of 
twelve thousand seven hundred dollars. Including all 
sugar made, of various quality, the crop eventually 
amounted to one million eight hundred and sixty-seven 
thousand pounds of sugar. River has risen altogether 



,L169] 

eleven feet, being now ten feet below high water mark. 
Fifty-seven cords of wood made on river bank. Rain, by 
intervals, on the 6th; rain on the 7th. Cut down sixty 
cypress trees on the 9th. North wind blowing in the 
driftwood against the shore, along the batture ; sixty cords 
of wood are made from it. Begun planting on the 10th. 
Rain on the 15th, which interrupts planting ; 16th, rain 
and sleet. River rising slowly. 18th, resumed planting; 
one hundred arpents of cane are planted. 19th, rain ; 
24th, rain in the afternoon; 25th, rain during the whole 
day ; the three main roads of plantation are flooded over. 
Resumed planting on the 27th p. m. 

March. Planting on the 1st and 2d. On the 4th, 
two hundred and twenty arpents of stubbles plowed. 
Plowing for corn on the 5th, 6th and 7th. Rain on the 
7th. Begun plowing in plant cane on the 10th. Planted 
one hundred and forty arpents of corn on the 11th. 
Trough planting on the 13th, River still rising. Only 
one hundred and twenty arpents of plant cane worked 
on the 18th. Cleaning ditches. Nearly all the stubbles 
marking the row on the 18th, though they have neither 
been shaved nor grubbed. Through plowing in plant 
cane, for the first time, on the 22d. A light rain on 
the 23d. Through hoeing plant cane on the 24th. 
Trifling rain on the 24th. River four feet below 
high water mark. 25th, cloudy, with a light rain in the 
morning, and heavy rain in the afternoon ; 26th, north 
wind ; thermometer 6° R. above zero. Had coal boat 
securely moored and unloaded. 30th, rain ; very violent 
wind before day, and its course from Pointe Coupee down, 
was marked by many sugar houses blown down and 
other buildings, besides large trees uprooted. At Mr. 
Sauve's place, only eight oak trees out of twenty-eight 
were left standing. 31st, heavy rain. 

April. 1st, weather very fair ; 2d, thermometer 3i° 
R. above zero ; 3d, thermometer 4° R. above zero. 6th, 
both stubbles and plant cane mark the row. Stubbles 
are, however, larger. 10th, through grubbing stubbles 
and begun to work plant cane for the second time. 14th, 
13 



L 170 .] 

rain, with strong wind; 15th, strong north west wind; 16th, 
thermometer Qh° R. above zero; 18th, light frost; ther- 
mometer 5i° R. above zero. Thinning and hoeing 
corn in old land. 19th, thermometer 62° R. above 
zero. 20th, working corn in old land. Begun third 
weeding of plant cane on the 21st. River has fallen 
one foot. Stnmg southeast wind on the 26th ; rain 
on the 27th, in the forenoon, and wind north, with 
heavy rain, in the afternoon ; heavy hail on the 28th, 
with north wind and cloudy weather, which clears 
off after sun-set. White frost in rear of plantation on 
the 29 th. Thermometer 5° R. 

Mai/. 1st, begun plowing and hoeing stubbles for the 
second time. Rain on the 5th, during the whole day. 
Sowed peas on the 6th. Through plowing stubbles, for 
the second time, on the 8th, at noon, and begun plowing 
plant cane, for the fourth time, in the afternoon. Weather 
threatening rain from the 10th to the loth. South wind 
prevailing. Cholera on the Lapice plantation, twenty- 
six fatal cases. Light shower on the 14th. Through 
plowing plant cane, for the fourth time, on the 15th. 
plowing for corn on the 18th. Begun harrowing plant 
cane on the 19th. Through hoeing plant cane, for the 
fourth time, on the 20th. Received two coal boats. All 
hands unloading, partially, coal boats, on the 22d, 23d 
and 24th. Size of cane, with leaves : plant cane measure 
from three feet six inches to four feet. Stubbles are 
much larger and measure four feet six inches to five feet; 
some are five and a half feet. Plant cane is not as for- 
ward as that of last year ; but stubbles, this year, are 
quite as large as those of last year. All hands discharg- 
ing second coal boat merely to lighten it. Weather very 
cloudy on the 25th, with thunder and a sprinkle during 
the day. 26th, light rain ; 27th, rain, but insufficiently. 
Begun to plow on stubbles for the third time, on the 27th, 
and to hoe them on the 30th. River has risen one foot 
since a few days. 

Jime. 2d, a light rain. Through plowing in stubbles 



[ 171 J 

for the third time, on the 3d, and begun plowing in the 
peas. 9th, working plant cane, for the sixth time. On 
the 9th and 10th, very light rain. Ridged up and hoe- 
ing peas on the 10th. Rain on the 13th, 14th and 15th. 
Through hoeing peas on the 16th. Through sixth weed- 
ing of plant cane, of which, thirty-five arpents laid-by on 
the 19th. Through plowing in stubbles on the 23d. 
Begun working plant cane on the 24th, for the seventh 
time. Weather very warm ; sun's heat intense the 28th 
and 29th, particularly in the afternoon and late in the 
evening; thermometer 29° R, above zero, or 98° F.; at 
9 o'clock in the evening, thermometer inside, marking 
26° R. above zero. On the 27th, river fell six inches. 
Through plowing on the 30th. River low, is below the 
throughs in a trench opened to supply water to garden 
and saw mill ponds, which are now dry. Plant cane, in 
old stiff land, almost high enough to screen laborers, on 
the 30th. A shower at night with much thunder. The 
diist hardly wet. Dug Irish potatoes on the 1st June, 
one weighing thirteen ounces, and another, one pound. 

July. From the 15th of June to the 6th of July only 
a few trifling rains. On the 6th sent fifteen choppers in 
the woods. Chopping on the 7th with all the men ; the 
women cutting bind-weed in corn. Guano applied on 
twelve arpents of cane, using two hundred pounds per 
arpent. Cutting and carting away pissahed on the 11th 
and 12th. The wells are dry in the pasture. Rain on 
the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th ; more rain than needed. 
On the 13th, cleaning ditches and canal. Through clean- 
ing ditches on the 21st. Heavy rain in the forest, which 
stops carts. 23d, the gang of women bending corn. 
24th, heavy shower at 6 h. p. m. Gang of women cutting 
weeds on roads. 27th, heavy rain. 

August. Heat excessive on the 2d ; thermometer, 28'^ " 
R, above zero; 3d, thermometer, under gallery, 301° R., 
and within doors 261° R. above zero. 7th, begun hauling 
wood to sugar house. 9th, the women unloading coal 
boat. 14th, a light rain ; stopping carts hauling wood. 



[ 172 ] 

21st, a light rain in rear of plantation. 22d, a light rain 
near the woods, stopping the hauling of wood. Since 
eight days, rain falling only in the rear, every day. Begun 
repairs of road with the women. Weather threatening 
a hurricane since a week, rain falling a little ever}'- day. 
Begun breaking corn on the 28th. Two heavy showers 
on the 29th. One thousand cords of wood at the sugar 
house. Eain on the 30th and 31st. Cleaned canal and 
ditches, which receive sugar house skimmings. 

September. 1st, still cleaning canal and ditch of skim- 
mings, and also preparing bone black. Through making 
powder sugar. Cleaning main sugar house pond. A 
disease prevailing among mules and horses called, by a 
Kentuckian, the blind stagger; lost eight of them. 
Cleaned smaller sugar house pond on the 3d. Rain on 
the 4th ; a heavy shower. Putting up boiler at saw mill,^ 
on the river, on the 5th. Wind north the whole day of 
the 7th; however, the weather is very warm; ther- 
mometer, at 10 h. p. M., is 24° R. above zero, within doors, 
and also on the 8th. The gang of women gathering corn 
mildewed by rain. 9th, begun making hay ; the vines 
are not ripe enough. 12th, rain, allowing time only to 
haul twenty loads of hay. 13th, stored forty cart loads 
of hay. Picked corn until 10 h. A. 31. The crop of 1854 
amounts to one million, one hundred and forty thousand, 
one hundred and fifty-three pounds of sugar. Sugar bought 
for refining, lost from fifty-six to sixty seven and a half 
pounds per hogshead, in ninety days. (N. B. — The diary 
of Mr. Vakour Aime closes on the 18th September, 1854, 
on account of his retirement from active life. His journal 
was continued by Mr. F. Fortier, his son-in-law, but only 
in Februarv, 1855. From this date to the end of 1856 
the degree of temperature only will be given, with other 
few observations.) 

1855. 

Fchmary. 18th, only three light rains from the 20thj 
of September, 1854, to the 18th of February, an e.dra' 
oi-dinary lomj drought, this winter, which was, on the 



[ 173 ] 

whole, very cold, the thermometer often at 3° and 4° R, 
ijelow zero; at one time, out-door, falling to 6'^ R. below 
zero. 24th, rain. Begun plowing for peas. The women 
hauling trash in between rows ; the men chopping. 
26th, thermometer 4^ R. below zero, and at 10 h. a. m., 
2° R. below zero ; 27th, thermometer 5° R. above zero. 
Chopping wood. Raking trash with the hoes, in between 
rows. 28th, thermometer 4° R. above zero, one hun- 
dred and seventy arpents of plant cane plowed, and one 
hundred and forty arpents hoed; one hundred and eleven ar- 
pents of stubbles are plowed, not hoed for fear of cold 
weather. (A neighbor, long since, shaved his stubbles ; 
result doubtful; ultimately, this work proved injudicious). 

March. 1st, thermometer 4° R. below zero. Plowing 
und hoeing in plant cane. 2d, thermometer -4° R. below 
:zero. Working plant cane; cleaning ditches. 3d, weather 
mild, a little rain in the morning. Through plowing and 
hoeing plant cane. 4th, rain in the afternoon. Through 
plowing for corn on the 6th ; through planting it on the 
7th. Begun grubbing stubbles, and plowing them. 
Weather as mild as in the middle of spring. Heavy rain 
on the 18th, in the morning, and north wind at midday ; 
19th, white frost; 20th, thermometer zero of Reaumur. 
Through working stubbles with plow and hoe, 21st, 
hoeing plant cane, and plowing for peas. 22d, ther- 
mometer zero. Chopping wood and replanting corn. 
23d, thermometer 1^° R. below zer. Scraping plant cane; 
cleaning ground. Corn planted may not grow. 24th, 
ice, thermometer 1J° R. below zero; on the 25th and 
26th, weather rather mild; strong north wind on the 
:27th, thermometer 4° R. above zero; cold on the 28th, 
thermometer i° R. above zero. Through scraping cane, 
^nd replanting corn. Neither stubbles nor plant cane are 
up. Northeast wind, and sleet, on the 28th, during night; 
29th, wind northeast; 31st, wind northwest, thermome- 
ter li° R. above zero. Cleaning ditches, through plow- 
ing corn for plantation hands. 

April. 5th, rain; 6th, cold north wind. Hoeing stubbles 



[174] 

on the 7th. Wind north; fair on the 8th and 9th, ther- 
mometer 6° R. above zero. 11th, through hoeing stub- 
bles, for the second time, and begun hoeing corn. Plant 
cane are coming up quite well, but stubbles are not up 
yet, although they are pretty sound. Ditching on the 
12th. Plant cane marking the row, on the 16th. 
Unloading coal boat on the 17th. Plowing and hoeing 
in plant cane on the 20th. Plowing stubbles on the 26th. 
The drought causing plant cane to suffer. Stubbles are 
still thin. 

May. 1st, stubbles mark the row. 3d, through plow- 
ing them a second time, and begun plowing in corn. On 
the 5th, through hoeing stubbles, for the third time, with 
the gang of women, the men chopping wood 7th, cut- 
ting weeds ; 11th, the women through cutting weeds. 
Digging one of the cannls. Harrowing plant cane, and 
hoeing them, for the fourth time, on the 14th, and 
through working them on the 18th. Harrowing in stub- 
bles on the 19th, and hoeing corn. Hoeing stubbles, for 
the fourth time, on the 22d. On the 23d, chopping wood. 
31st, unloading the second coal boat. Hoeing stubbles 
with the whole force. 

June. 1st, light rain. Harrows working in stubbles. 
4th, harrowing in plant cane. 7th, light rain. Sowed 
peas on the 8th and 9th. On the 11th, re-planting corn, 
and hoeing plant cane for the filth time. Harrowing in 
plant cane on the 12th. On the 13th, the harrows and 
hoes in stubbles. 16th, light rain. 18th, a heavy shower, 
over one-half of the field. On the 19th, plowing and hoe- 
ing stubbles. Very heavy shower on ttie 20th, in the 
evening, being the heaviest since October last. 24th, 
heavy rain A. M. 25th, plows and hoes in plant cane. 
26th, heavy rain. 27th, chopping wood. Heavy rain at 
midday. 28th, rain in the afternoon. 

Jahj. 1st, rain at noon, and in the evening late. 3d, 
through working plant cane, for the sixth time, and 
through working stubbles, for the fifth time, on the 6th. 
Heavy rain on the 7th. Begun ridging up cane on the 



L175] 

11th. Through working plaiit cane on the 20th, for the 
seventh time, and on the 23d, the stubbles for the sixth 
time. 24th, heavy shower in the afternoon. Cutting 
weeds. On the 31st, cleaning ditches, and bending corn. 

August. 3d, applied guano to some cane in old land ; 
chopping wood; cleaning ditches. On the 13th, hauling 
wood to sugar house. 24th, heavy rain. Cleaning sugar 
house ponds on the 29th and 30th. Much rain and wind 
on the 31st: 

September.. Digging canal of upperline on the 6th and 
7th. Continued ditching on the 8th and 10th. Chopping 
wood on the 11th. Cutting hay on the 15th ; heavy rain 
at midday. Making hay on the 17th. Rain at noon. 
Worked to public road. 18th, cutting hay. 19th, gather- 
ing peas and storing hay. 26th, heavy rain. 27th, 
making hay. ^ 

October. 1st, gathered peas. Picking corn the 2d. 
Through storing hay on the 3d. Heavy rain on the 4th. 
Through working on public road. 6th, gathered corn 
crop of hands. 7th, wind north, thermometer 4J° R. 
above zero; 8th, white frost, thermometer 3J° R. above 
zero. Begari matlaying cane on the 17th. Given to the 
hands a day of rest on the 18th. Begun cutting cane for 
the mill on the 19th ; begun grinding on the 22d. On 
the 23d, a light rain ; 24th, north wind, thermometer 2° 
R. above zero; 25th, ice, thermometer 1° R. below zero; 
26th, thermometer i° R. below zero. 

[No notes for November^ 

December. 10th, thermometer 1° R. below zero. On the 
11th, a thin ice, though thermometer 2° R. below zero; 
24th, rain until midday ; thermometer 3° R. below zero, 
in the afternoon; heavy ice on the 25th; thermometer 
6J° R. below zero. Cane are all frozen to the ground. 
26th, thermometer 2° R. below zero. 

Through grinding on the 5th of January, 1856, having 
made a crop of eight hundred and seventy-two thousand, 
eight hundred and eighty pounds of sugar. 



[176] 

THE TEMPERATURE OBSERVED IN 1856, WAS AS 
FOLLOWS : 

January 4tli thermometer 2° Reaumur below zero. 

•' 5th " ^° " " 

" 6th " 4° " " 

*' 15th » 4° «' « 

*« 16th " 5i° " " 

17th " 6° " 

'' 20th " -4° " 

" 21st " 6° " " 

" 22d " 6° « • " 

" 23d " 54-° " " 

24th " U° " 

February 4th " 7° " " 

" 5th " 6i° " " 

«' 9th " 5° " " 

" 10th " 3° " " 

Septemb'r22d " 16° « above zero. 

23d " 13° " 

24th " 7i° " 

" 25th " 8° " " 

" 26th " 10° " «•• 

27th " 10.r " " 

October 1st " 7° • " " 

" 2d " 8° " " 

(( Q^ (( go (( u 

5th.*.*..*.*..'.'* '* 11° " 

" 15th " 8° " " 

" 16th " 5° " " 

17th " 4° " » 

November 5th " 3° " " 

« 6th " 3° " " 

December 6th " Zero " 

" 7th " Zero '• 

" 8th " 2° " " 

» 21st " 3° " " 

" 22d " 5° '* " 

" 23d " 3° " " 



Mr. V. Aime's sugar crop of 1856, live hundred and twelve 
thousand pounds. 



[177] 






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[ 182] 




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L 183 ] 
McCULLOH'S REPORT ON SUGAR— REVIEWED. 

■COMPAEATIVE CONDITION" OF SUGAR ESTATES IN AVEST INDIES AND 
LOUISIANA — PROCESS AND PERFECTION OF SUGAR MANUFAC- 
TURE, ETC., ETC. 

-J. B. De Bow. Esq : 

It is but lately that I have been put in possession, through the 
kindness of a friend, of a copy of Professor McCulloh's report to 
Congress on saccharine substances and the art of manufacturing 
sugar. It is, in my opinion, one of the best documents which has 
ever been written on the subject. It makes known and describes 
generally, with great accuracy, all the latest and best improvements 
which have been made throughout the world in the sugar industry, 
and embodies an amount of useful information, which our sugar 
planters could not otherwise obtain without perusing a great many 
volumes. It is the work not only of a man of science, but of a 
conscientious one, who has represented things as faithfully as he 
could and without any kind of deception. 

Mr. McCulloh paid unfortunately but a flying vi sit to Louisiana, 
where he could not arrive during the sugar making season ; he re- 
mained only a few days in the State, occupying himself chiefly, as 
lie says, with inquiries concerning Rillieux's improved method, and 
an examination of his apparatus upon the jDlantation of Messrs. 
Benjamin & Packwood. This is to be regretted, not only because 
we have been thereby deprived of the researches which the profes- 
sor had the intention of making on the mucilage contained in the 
Louisiana cane juice, but also because, having seen very few of our 
sugar plantations, and none of them in operation, he has not had 
^m opportunity of doing to the old sugar planters of the country 
that justice which they certainly would have obtained from him, if 
he had known more about them. 

It is in order to destroy the unfavorable impression which some 
parts of the report may create against the progress hitherto made 
in our sugar industry, and also for the purpose of rectifying a few 
errors, which have crept in that otherwise unexceptionable work, 
that I would wish to see it reviewed in your useful periodical. I 
do not attempt it myself, because I am not in the habit of writing 
for the joublic ; but I hope that the notes and suggestions which 
you will find in this communication, will induce you to undertake 
that task.* 

Speaking of his journey from Havana to G-uines and back, Mr. 
McCulloh says : " The well managed sugar estates (furnished with 
" highly finished and costly machinery) which I visited, and 
" which had each required, on an .average, an investment of not 
'' less than two or three hundred thousand dollars in fixed capital, 

"There is no man in Louisiana better qualified to review the report of Mr. Mc 
Culloh than M. Valcour Aime. In such hands we freely leave it. 



I. 181 ] 

*' had entirely dispelled from my mind all preconceived notions 
*' derogatory to the enterprise and intelligence of the Spanish 
" Creole ; though nnder an oppressive government, and compared 
** with that of a Louisiana planter, enjoying all the blessings of 
*' political freedom, exempt from heav)^ taxes, and protected 
*' against foreign competitions, by a high tariff." And after men- 
tioning several improvements on a plantation in Cuba, he adds : 
" Such estates constitute exceptions, however ; while for a very 
*' large number, the arrangements and methods described by the 
*' author of the Hufoire Xaturelle du Cacao et du Sucre, published 
" in 1720, the oldest treatise I have seen on the subject, would 
" answer almost as Avell for this day as that in which he wrote. 
*' And this remark, I am sorry to say, as applicable equally to the 
" State of Louisiana and to the West India Islands ; the use of 
*' the steam engine to grind the cane and the substitution of the 
" mill with horizontal in place of that with vertical rollers, being 
^' almost the only improvement extensively introduced.'* (pp. 9, 
38.) 

It so happenes that, in the beginning of 1845, my neighbor, Mr. 
Lapice and myself took a journey through Ciiba, for the si)ecial 
purpose of ascertaining whether there was in the island any im- 
provement in the sugar manufacture of which we might avail our- 
selves. In our visit to Guines, we discovered nothing, either in 
the general management of the sugar estates, or in the buildings 
and improvements, which deserved peculiar praise. The mistake 
of Mr. McCulloh as to the value of the improvements in that neigh- 
borhood, has probably originated from his not being in the liabit of 
seeing sugar estates and of estimating the costs of the improve- 
ments thereon. The Inganio La Amistad, which does not belong 
to Messrs. Hiago, as it is stated (p. 63) but to their sister, the 
Widow Ayestaran and her son, was the only estate in that part^of 
the island which had im})rovements of any great value ; one of 
Derosne's apparatus having been put up tlierc the year previous. 
Mr. Ayestaran may, to prevent competition, have been disposed 
to exaggerate its price, for I know that it was currently reported in 
Guines that fifty thousand dollars had been paid for it; but, as I 
made it my business to ascertain for what sum a similar api)aratus 
might ])e obtained, I also know that the price in Europe was 
^18,000; and I do not presume that the expenses of all kinds, to 
bring it on the plantation could exceed JiioOOO, as no duty was to 
be paid on machinery imported into the island; so that the appara- 
tus in Guines did not i)robably cost more tlian 125,000. The 
Ifuildings on tlie Amistad Avere extremely common, and so are, 
with very few exceptions, most of the sugar houses throughout the 
island. If the sugar estates which the i)rofessor has seen near 
Guines had each re((uired, on an average, as he was made to 
believe, an investnu'/nt of no! less Ihau two or three hundred thou- 
sand dollars, infixed capital, our Northern fellow citizens might 



L 185 ] 

well have asked wliy we complain for not getting four cents for 
our sugars, when the people of Cuba can afford to give theirs for 
two cents, after undergoing such enormous expenses. The fact is 
that the improvements and buildings on our plantations are more 
valuable, better constructed and generally much more lasting than 
theirs. The slaves by which their canes are cultivated are, in spite 
of the suppression of the slave trade, imported from Africa, at a. 
cost which, on an average, does not exceed for each, the price in 
Louisiana of a good pair of mules. The climate permits these 
slaves to be worked with as few clothes as they were in the habit of 
wearing in tlieir native country. A patch of bananas, which Avhen 
once planted gives every year a new crop from the sprouts, is all 
the feeding they require; whilst our slaves are generally, at least 
as well fed and clothed as laborers are in Europe. Canes, in Cuba, 
ripen during fourteen or eighteen months and require no plowing, 
no ditching, and hardly any weeding; their rattoons last fifteen 
and twenty years. Here, after having tilled our soil in a manner 
■ that no farmer in the United States would be ashamed of, we must 
get sugar out of our canes, on an average, eight months after they 
have come out of the ground, and we must replant every second 
year. They grind six months in the year; we can hardly calculate 
on half that time to get through our crops, and must, therefore, 
manufacture our sugar twice as fast as they do theirs. With all 
these disadvantages on our side, and many more which it would be 
too tedious to mention, our planters make fully as many pounds of 
sugar to the working hand as can be made in Cuba. This shows 
conclusively to my mind, that we are not in the arrear, as Mr. 
McCulloh seems to think. There is no branch of industry in the 
United States for which more money is expended every year, in 
experiments, than for the sugar manufacture of Louisiana. If 
methods are adopted which may in many respects be considered 
faulty, it is not because our planters know no better, but because 
they are compelled by our climate to adopt the most expeditious 
means of operation. The great question with us is not how to 
make the finest sugar and how to make the most of it, but how to 
make it fast enough; we know that frost may soon prevent us from 
making any at all. This is the reason which has prevented the 
planters of Louisiana from adopting generally the improved pro- 
cesses for making sugar; most of the ameliorated machinery oper- 
ates too slowly to save our crops, and the perfected apparatus 
which are not liable to that fault, are within the reach of very few 
fortunes. Although on account of our working more and better 
than ^"he Cuba planters, we make as much sugar as they do. Mr. 
McCulloh might have perceived, if he had staid longer among us, 
that the first cost of the sugar must be about twice as much in 
Louisiana as it is in Cuba. It is perfectly true, as he says, that we 
enjoy the blessings of a better government ; but among the advan- 
tages which he enumerates as flowing from that government, he 
14 



[186] 

might very well have left out in a report printed in 1847, the pro- 
tection against foreign competition hy a higli tariff! That protec- 
tion is now hardly three-fourth's of a cent per pound, and with 
that help we have to contend not only against the West India 
Island, but also against the Northern refineries. It is to compete 
• with those last, as well as with the Cuba planters that the improve- 
ments made of late years in the sugar industry may be rendered 
available. We cannot, in my opinion, make profitably from the 
cane juice, double refined sugar ^([ual in whiteness and beauty to 
that made at the J^orth ; but what is the use of the superior 
whiteness when it creates no increase in the demand ? I am now 
making stamp loaf sugar of three pounds, which is worth from 
seven to nine and a half cents a pound, the average being about 
eight cents ; and I can sell one hundred barrels of the quality 
quoted at sight against ten of that at nine and a half cents. AVith 
one of Derosne's or Rillieux's Apparatus the Louisiana planter. , 
instead of getting from three to four cents for his brown sugar, 
may get for it five or six ; for, when I say that I obtain, on an 
average, eight cents for mj white sugar, it must not be understood 
that 1 can make by means of the apparatus as many pounds of 
white sugar as by the usual process could be extracted in brown 
sugar from the same cane juice ; the yield of white sugar is of 
course smaller, but the increase in price is more than a compensa- 
tion for the diminution m the quantity. In other words, the same 
cane juice which, by the usual process, would yield a hundred 
thousand pounds of brown sugar, which, at four cents, would 
produce four thousand dollars, will, by means of the apparatus, 
give white sugar of different grades, for which from live to six 
thouand dollars may be obtained. This is certainly a handsome 
compensation for tlie additional trouble and the additional invest- 
ment. It must, however, be understood as ai)]ilying only to a wi'll 
managed apparatus ; for we had instances during the last season of 
l)lanters doing worse with the new improvcnients. tlian with what 
Mr. McCulloh calls the old and faulty method. 

At page 22 we find the following remarks : ''It was my intention 
" to have devoted ])articular attention to the mucilage stated to be 
" in Louisiana cane juice, often in quantity so large as to give 
" great trouble to the sugar-boilers ; and I regretted the circum- 
'' stances which impeded my journey thither more on that account 
" than any other ; but I now attach less importance to the subject, 
" for it has been shown by Messrs, Benjamin & Packwood that the 
'' use of boneblack and of eva])oration in vacuo gives perfect 
" results. Some i)lanters had, I am told, entertained the opinion 
''■ before that bonei)lack cou.ld be used for i)urifying the cane juice 
" of Ijouisiana; an opinion doubtless, based upon unskillful expe- 
" rinmnts."" 

H(jneblv\(;k lias been used successfully <in my plantation, for 
decolorising and purifying cane juice, evi-n since IS4(». It is not 



[187 J 

every year that the niucihige in our cane juice is a source of annoy- 
ance to the planters. In favorable years, when the canes are ripe 
and the juice weighs 9° Baurae, and sometimes more, the mucilage 
gives very little trouble and prime sugar can easily be made. But 
in unfavorable seasons and in canes raised in new lands, the juice 
gives sometimes from 6 1-2 to 7° and mucilage is found in large 
quantities ; part of it gets burnt before the sugar can be brought 
to the striking point, and none but a red and inferior sugar can be 
obtained by the common process. It is in those years and in these 
circumstances that boneblack filters are extremely valuable. 

Discussing the importance of grinding at low speed, the report 
gives the results of experiments made by the Marquis de Ste. Croix, 
a planter of the Island of Martinique, who states that " with the 
"■' same mill, and its rollers set in the same Avay, the juice obtained 
'' constituted 45 percent, of the weight of the canes ground when 
" the rollers made six revolutions a minute, and 70 percent, when 
*' the velocity was two and a half revolutions per minute ; a differ- 
'•' ence of 25 per cent." (p. 45.) 

There is, no doubt, something to be gained by regulating the 
speed so as to cause the cane juice to flow olf before the bagasse 
has passed through the mill. But there is evidently some exag- 
geration in the statement of the Marquis. Every practical man 
can feel that if the number of revolutions made by the rollers 
could produce a difference of 25 per cent, in the yield of the cane, 
the planters would soon perceive the necessity of so setting their 
mill as to make with the same crop, five instead of four hundred 
hogsheads. Four revolutions in a minute with rollers of 28 inches 
diameter, is quite slow enough ; the gain by slower motion must 
be a trifling one. As far as my experience goes, I have seen ten 
cart loads of good cane yield a thousand pounds of sugar, and I 
never jDerceived that the result was materially changed when the 
mill made one or two revolutions in a minute. 

After acknowledging the purity of the sugars refined by the 
large establishments in the United States, the professor observes : 
•' In the refinery of G. S. Lovering & Co., a process is emplo3^ed 
" for the clarification peculiar, I believe, to that establishment, 
"■ which has been communicated to me confidentially, and which I 
" consider perfectly unexceptionable ; neither alum, bullock's 
" blood, nor any other objectionable substance being there used for 
" clarification in making sugar absolutely pure and of extreme 
"• whiteness and beauty." (p. 51.) 

Messrs. G. S. Lovering & Co., are not the only ones in posses- 
sion of that process. Ever since 1834, I have been clarifying 
without alum and without blood, or any noxious ingredients : the 
sugars of these gentlemen may generally surpass mine in color, 
but I can at least claim an equal purity. 

After having mentioned the importance of preventing fermenta- 
tion in saccharine juices, its effects on our canes are thus noticed : 



[ 188] 

" In Louisiana, when the cane has been exposed to severe frost. 
I'ollowed by warm weather, the juice, it is said, becomes acid, and 
so altered that it is impossible to make sugar from it in the ordi- 
nary way. In defecation it becomes mucilaginous and ropy, and 
yields not a particle of crystalline sugar. Do not the changes of 
temperature cause the cellular tissue of the cane to be ruptured, 
and thus bring together the nitrogineous matter and the saccharine 
juice under circumstances which excite viscious or lactic fermenta- 
tion ? I may here add, that during the last year, excellent sugar is 
said to have been made by Messrs. Packwood, Benjamin and C. 
Degruy, by the use of the Rillieux's Apparatus, from acid, frosted 
cane juice, which by the ordinary method Avould, it is stated, have 
yielded molasses only.'' (p. 65.) 

It is true that fair sugar can be extracted from frosted canes, by 
means of bone black filters and the vacuum i)an, wlien only a very 
'nferior article could be obtained by the common method. The 
canes, when frost-bitten, can thus be rendered profital)le for a few 
days longer. This is not, however, the peculiar advantage of Ril- 
lieux's process ; the same result can be obtained by means of 
HoAvard's. Roth's, Derosne's, or any other system for evaporating 
in vacuo. I have seen at Mr. Lapice's, sugar of a good color and 
grain, made by Derosne's Apparatus, which was so very sour as to 
excite a disagreeable sensation on the tongue ; when the sugar was 
drained the acidity disappeared, because it was confined to the un- 
crystalized part. But after the deterioration of the canes has so 
far progressed that the juice, when boiled in open pans, produces 
'.n the battery or teaehe nothing but a viscious syrup of fine j'ellow 
color, from which, by the common process, not a i)article of grain 
can l)e obtained, I contend tluit no apparatus can crystalize it. In 
the winter of 1845-6, the pneumatic pans or tigers constructed by 
Uillieux's on Messrs. Benjamin and Packwood's plantation having 
completely failed, those gentlemen, to save their canes, had to work 
the whole of tlieir crop into syrup, whicli, afterwards, was manu- 
factured at Mr. Oxnard's refinery. I have there seen in that 
refinery, syrup manufactured from frosted canes by Rillieux's Ap- 
paratus, from which nothing could be made ; other syrup coming 
from cane less deteriorated, ]>roduced sugar resembling common 
wax, while all the syrup obtained by the same means, previous to 
the canes l)eing frosted, or before the juice was quite altered after 
the frost, has produced in the same 3'ear and at tlie same refinery, 
sugar of the very first (piality. It is much to be regretted, that 
Mr. McC'ulloh had no op])ortiinity for examining the jihenomena 
whicli pivsent tliemselves successively during tlie process of the 
fermentation of our cane juice. I have seen nowhere clearly ex- 
plained why frosted cane juice, from which good sugar can be pro- 
duced for several days, even Avhen sourness is (juite i)erceptible to 
the taste, ceases to granulate, sometimes in the sjiace of a very few 
hours. In the i)aragraph ((noted above, the Professor seems to in- 



[189] 

tiinate that acids of different kinds may be generated in the conrse 
of fermentation, and he is probably right. I am no chemist, but 
I have learnt from one who has turned much of his attention to 
the manufacture of Louisiana Sugar, that whilst there are acids, 
such as the hydrochloric, the lactic, the citric, etc, which prevent 
granulation, the acetic acid is so far acting against it that some 
confectioners use vinegar to aid the crystalization of rock candy. 

The thermometer is recommended in the strongest terms, as the 
best, and, indeed, the only means of obtaining definite and precise 
knowledge in reference to the evaporation of concentrated syrups : 
" The thermometer is used for the determination of this striking- 
point only by those who boil in vacuo, and by a few who employ 
open pans ; and most of the sugar manufacturers depend entirely 
upon certain signs or appearances which become familiar to the 
workmen by practice." (p. 100.) 

In the next page he declares that he is quite sceptical in refer- 
ence to the force, and even the honesty of the objections, urged 
against the use of the instrument, which furnishes a ready and 
perfect means of knowing whether the concentration approaches 
the striking point. He ascribes these objections to the predjudices 
of ignorant workmen employed in the manufacture of sugar, 
which, as he says, "has been confided chiefly to negroes, and 
scarcely less stupid and ignorant white men." (p. 101.) 

The thermometer is advantageously and generally used, to judge 
of the state of concentration of the syrups, in open evaporating 
pans, heated by steam, but the use of that instrument to asertain 
the striking point in the manufacture of vacuum pan sugar is a 
practice not to be thought of. Syrups coming from the blow tubs 
and leaf filter at 32 deg. Beaume, is often at 150 deg. Fahrenheit, 
when put in the pan. It rises in fifteen minutes to 160 deg., and 
may be kept at that point for several hours, until it reaches the 
proper degree of evaporation ; indeed, if the boiler has at his dis- 
posal a large supply of water, he may by the injection of cold 
water, lower the temperature while the concentration is progressing, 
and this is commonly done when it is considered desirable to obtain 
a large and solid grain. The thermometer is employed in the 
vacuum pan to keep the boiler advised of the heat he has in it, 
and enable him, in conjunction with the air glass or barometer, to 
regulate his pan as to steam and water, for striking the test by the 
touch with the proof stick is the only one that can be depended 
upon. 

The sugar made by Messrs. Benjamin and Packwood is noticed 
in the following words : "A specimen of this sugar presented to 
me by Messrs. Merrick and Towne, has been analyzed by me, and 
found to be chemically inire. Its crystalline grain and snowy 
whiteness are also equal to those of the best double-refined sugar 
of our northern refiners. To Messrs. Benjamin and Packwood 
must, therefore, be awarded the merit of having first made directly 



[ 190 ] 

from a vegetable juice, sugar of absolute chemical purity, 
combined with perfection of crystal and color. This is indeed a 
proud triumph in the progress of the sugar industry. In the 
whole range of chemical arts, I am not aware of another instance 
in which a perfect result is in like manner obtained immediately." 

(p. m.) 

I am so far from being disposed to detract anything from the 
merit of Messrs. Benjamin and Packwood, that I would not have 
the least objection to their being represented as having originated 
a most important improvement in the manufacture of sugar, if the 
old planters of the State Avere not thereby cast rather too much in 
the shade. The stay of Mr. McCulloh in the State was, as I 
observed before, so very short that he had no time to become well 
acquainted with the former situation of our sugar industry, and 
the various successful steps that have been taken to improve it. It 
is no doubt on that account tliat he has in the different parts of 
his Report alluded somewhat unfavorably to our improvements. 

It is not of late years only, that white sugars, derived from the 
cane juice, have been made with more or less success in Louisiana. 
As far as I can remember, and I am no longer a young man, 1 
recollect to have seen wliite clayed sugar made on many of our 
plantations, for home consumjDtion at least, by the same operation 
which, in Cuba, is carried on, on a large scale. Another grade of 
sugar was made about eighteen years ago by Mr. T. Morgan, who, 
as the report correctly states was the first to introduce the vacuum 
pan in this country for the evaporation of cane juice. A few years 
afterwards he obtained by liquoring in moulds, without the use of 
bag filters, good white sugar. Neither filters noi- defecators were 
employed in connection with Rillieux's apparatus, when Mr. Pack- 
wood, in the winter of 1843-4, made with it about thirty hogs- 
heads of sugar. In the succeeding season defecators and bone 
black filters having been added to the same apparatus, prime brown 
sugar Avas obtained, without any refining process on the same 
estate. The specimen of sugar so higlily eulogized by the report, 
was prodiTced in the winter of 1846-7, on Messrs. Benjamin and 
Packwood's plantation, by using Killicux's perfected apparatus, 
and liquoring tlie sugar in tigers. 

Although it may look like egotism for me to say so, yet I cannot 
avoid remarking that since 1834 I liave been making clarified, 
stamp, and loaf sugar, directly from a vegetable juice, and that 
since 1840, when I first used bone l)lack filters, my sugar has been 
at least equal for purity, as well as perfection of crystal and color, 
to that manufactured in 1846-7, by Messrs. Benjamin and Pack- 
wood. 

As it may not be uninteresting to be informed of the difl'erent 
trials of one who has some claim to be considered here as the pio- 
neer in refining sugar from tlie cane juice, permit me to state that, 
after having attempted, without success, some expensive experi- 



L 191 J 

ments for making white sugar in 1830, I tried, in connection with a 
common set of kettles, in 1832 the bascule pan, and in 1833 the ser- 
pentine tub, and ascertained that, with good canes, no definite 
advantage can be derived from either. In 1834 I bought moulds, 
procured the bag filters of Taylor to filter my cane juice when boiled 
in the common kettles to 30 deg. Baume, ordered from London 
one of Howard's vacuum pans, from the old makers, William 
Oaks & Son, and began to refine. It would be too tedious to detail 
the trouble I experienced and the accidents and mistakes from 
which I had to suffer during that winter ; I was so much annoyed 
that I would certainly have given up my experiments, at least for 
that year, if my sugar house had not been so altered as to put it 
out of my power to proceed by the common method. I had to 
refine or lose my canes. The final result was upon the whole satis- 
factory, and I not only got through my crop of 340,000 pounds, 
but bought some inferior sugars from the neighborhood, which I 
also refined. I obtained 13 cents a pound for my loaf sugar, 
which was of course inferior to what I make now, since I used no 
bone black. From 1834 to 1839 inclusive, every one of my crops 
were worked in the same way, with the only difference that the 
experience acquired with every additional year enabling me to un- 
derstand better how a refinery ought to be conducted, I increased 
mine and managed it more conveniently. Having heard in 1840 of 
the filter Peyron, represented as working continuously, and with- 
out renewing the bone black, I sent my boiler to Europe, at an 
expense of eight or nine hundred dollars, to examine and procure 
it, if found to answer. He came back in time for the crop, 
not with Peyron's filter, however, but with another on Dumont's 
plan, which is employed in England. The syrup of that year 
being first filtered in the bags and passed afterwards over bone 
black, produced sugar which was fully worth two cents more than 
that I had previously made. I effected no other important change 
in my refinery until 1845, when I procured Derosne's apparatus, 
Avith some modifications, in the pans aud distributions. On account 
of the air pump having been made too weak, I could manufacture 
but a small part of the crop of that year, but in the succeeding 
season I used nothing else, and have since that time ceased to boil 
my syrup in open kettles. I find that I make by that means still 
better sugar ; although, on account of the quantity now produced, 
not only in this State, but in the north and west, I get much less 
money for it. 

In the year 1846, Mr. Lapice put up one of Derosne's apparatus, 
which was, like mine, made at the Novelty Works, New York. 

The main difference which can be found between the means 
employed by me since 1840 for refining, and those Messrs. Benja- 
min and Packwood used in 1846, consist in this: that those gentle- 
men liquor their sugars in tigers, while I do so in moulds; but 
this difference can, of course, create none either in the quality or 



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[192] 

beauty of the sugars. The only question to ])e raised between the 
two processes, is one of economy and of time; in this, practical 
men may differ. In 1845. after examining, in company with Mr. 
Lapice, tigers on the phm of tliose since constructed by Messrs. 
Benjamin and Packwood, wliich we found in the refinery of Mr. 
Adams, near Matanzas, in Oulia, I determined to keep to my moulds, 
and Mr. Lapice came to a, different conclusion. He had tigers 
made, which worked well in 1846, and he has used them success- 
fully ever since. They can undoubtedly be considered as a valua- 
ble improvement, which may be rendered as profitable here as ir 
has been for a great many 3''ears in the West India Islands. Sugars 
may. by that means, be sooner pre]iared for market, and on that 
account those Avho have to put up new establishments for refining 
ought probably to adopt tigers in preference to moulds; but I do 
not think that the advantage to be derived from them is sufficiently 
great to induce tliose who are already provided witli moulds, to 
give them up. 



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